The 2013-2014 school year starts today, Monday 19 August for all public and private school children. President Danilo Medina is marking the official opening at the Madre Teresa of Calcutta High School in Monte Llano, in Puerto Plata province this morning together with the new Minister of Education Carlos Amarante Baret and Administrative Minister Jose Ramon Peralta. Over 2.7 million children will be attending public, private and semi-public schools this year. A total of 1,983,909 students are registered in public schools, and 663,863 in private schools. A further 63,061 are in schools described as semi-public.
One new feature will be the addition of hundreds of “Extended Day” schools where there will be eight hours of classes, breakfasts, snacks and lunches from 8am until 4pm. Nearly 200,000 students will benefit from this innovation in the Dominican school system.