Students returned to schools this week after the Christmas break and despite the call from Education Minister Andrés Navarro urging parents to send their children back to school, there was low student attendance reported in Santo Domingo and throughout the country on the first day of classes, 8 January 2018. The attendance was on average 40% to 50% in Santo Domingo although in some cases, it was down to 12%, as reported in Hoy. Attendance, nevertheless, was up to 90% by the second day of the return to classes, as reported by the Ministry of Education.
According to the director of Education District 15-02, which includes Villa Consuelo, Villa Juana, Villas Agrícolas, among others, Altagracia Julia Javier, the low attendance was due to the bad weather. She said that many parents usually did not send their children to school when it was raining, concerned their children could catch a cold.
10 January 2018
