On Monday 19 November, President Danilo Medina issued Decree 625-12 that creates the National School Building Program and announced that in the next four years the government would build 28,000 classrooms to eliminate overcrowding. The government also has plans to extend school hours for students. Many public schools now have three shifts (morning, afternoon and evening).
He said that the towns where the schools will be built would be selected by means of a draw and materials would be sourced in the local hardware stores to boost local economies.
The Ministry of Public Works will be in charge of 60% of the classrooms and the Presidential Supervisory Office of Public Works will be in charge of 40%. The Ministry is also responsible for the structural design of the new classrooms. But the Ministry of Education is contributing the lot, the architectural design and maintenance of the classrooms at new schools and improvements at schools already in operation. School cafeterias will be incorporated to serve breakfast and lunch to the students.
Starting next week the first RD$2 billion would be handed over to start the process with the construction of 10,000 classrooms in 31 provinces and the National District. The classrooms should be ready in time for the start of the new school year in August 2013.
http://www.presidencia.gob.do/comunicado/el-gobierno-construira-diez-mil-aulas-educativas-para-garantizar-horario-extendido-y-almuerzo-escolar/
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2012/11/19/255744/Medina-establece-por-decreto-construccion-de-escuelas-seran-por-sorteo