The Federation of Parents with Children in Private Public Schools (FEDEPADRES) says that the Deputy Minister for Technical and Pedagogical Services, Luis Enrique Matos, is out of touch with what they described as the “traumas” caused by the Standardized National Tests in the students in the 8th grade and in their senior year. Juan Avila Abreu, the Federation president, regretted that 35% of 8th grade students end their studies because of the National Tests. The Federation is therefore asking President Danilo Medina to instruct Minister of Education Carlos Amarante Baret to eliminate the Standardized National Tests and design another evaluation system that is not so traumatic for the students. The Education Minister has defended the tests, saying that they help monitor the students’ learning levels.