When the 2015-2016 school year starts in the Dominican Republic on 17 August 2015, there will be 797,496 enrolled at 2,657 public schools nationwide. This includes 174,358 new students enrolled in 1,112 qualified extended public school day centers. At these centers, students receive breakfast and lunch and afternoon classes until 4pm. The number of extended public schools compares to the 21 and an enrollment of 8,969 students during the 2011-2012 school term recorded at the end of the previous administration.
Giovanni Romero, director of the extended school division of the Ministry of Education, says this figure is up from 623,138 students enrolled in 1,545 public schools last year.
Romero says that as of date the Ministry of Education has constructed or remodeled 703 schools, adding 10,940 new classrooms across the country. New cafeterias are being built at another 616 education centers.
Romero says that by August 2016, which marks the end of the four-year term of President Danilo Medina, the government has set a target that 1,354,000 students that be enrolled in extended public school programs.
Educación iniciará año escolarcon casi 800 mil alumnos jornada extendida