Minister of Education says that the drop out rate of public school children has declined from 17% to 11% in the past three years, as proof of the renewed trust parents have in the public school system. Speaking at a breakfast at the Listin Diario newspaper, Minister of Education Ligia Amada Melo was critical of the many strikes promoted by the Dominican Association of Professors (ADP), despite the government’s efforts to improve teachers’ working conditions. The ADP has promoted three strikes in the first two weeks of classes. Minister Melo said that public school teacher wages have doubled, with the budget for teachers wages going from RD$180 million to RD$381 million a year. Furthermore, she said the government invested RD$37 million in a hospital to serve 40,000 public school teachers, offers these medical insurance and opportunities to carry out post graduate studies with the government paying the bills. Moreso, the government has instated incentives based on duration on the job, distance from work centers and capacity. The teachers have been striking demanding the government pay the incentives in full as originally promised. The government has proposed a payment plan, which the ADP does not accept. Minister of Education Melo explained that this year 246,000 more students enrolled in public schools. She said in the past three years, the government has built 165 new schools, adding 4,728 classrooms, but that there still is a deficit of 3,000 school rooms.
