The Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic (Minerd) has released findings of report prepared by the Guidance and Psychology Department of the Ministry of Education (Minerd) on violence in Dominican public schools. The report reveals alarming levels of teenage pregnancy, early sexual unions, sexual violence and social violence in public schools. The report shares findings on using alcoholic beverages, marijuana, drugs, electronic cigarettes, child abuse, prostitution, human trafficking, among others.
The Dominican Association of Teachers (ADP) said the findings are evidence that the management of the Ministry of Education has been incapable of giving the required attention to the problems. “In conclusion, what is evident is that the management of the Ministry of Education that has not been able to understand, nor give the required attention, to the real needs of the educational system and that, neither has it correctly handled the serious socio-educational crisis that the Dominican Republic is going through and, erroneously, reflects the educational problem in the figure of the teacher, which reveals its own level of imperfection and ignorance, about the national educational reality,” stated the Public Schools Teachers Association (ADP) in commenting on the findings of the school guidance department.
First Lady Raquel Arbaje, who heads the Cabinet for Children and Adolescents (GANA) and the National Council for Children and Adolescents (Conani), remarked on Wednesday, 10 May 2023 that the figures on teen pregnancy, early unions, sexual violence and social violence at school released by the Ministry of Education are a call to address these problems with immediate and forceful actions.
“We know from repeated statistical reports, that the Dominican Republic occupies one of the first places in teenage pregnancy in Latin America and the Caribbean. These Ministry of Education figures reconfirm that we are facing a major social problem that demands, both from state institutions and society, a serious commitment to addressing its causes,” they said in a joint press release.
The statistics on the findings are:
Pregnant students: 1422, 0.11%
Students pregnant as a result of rape: 113, 0.0090%
Pregnant students as a result of incest: 30, 0.0002%
Students in early sexual unions: 4,059, 0.33%
Students who are mothers: 3,697, 0.30%
Students who are fathers: 1,440, 0.11%
Incidents of violence among students (physical, verbal or psychological violence inside or outside the educational center): 24,686, 2.04%
Incidents of violence between teachers (physical, verbal, or psychological violence inside or outside the school): 217, 0.010%
Incidents of violence between teachers and families (physical, verbal, or psychological violence inside or outside the school): 396, 0.032%
Incidents of physical abuse of school furniture and/or physical plant by students: 2,380, 0.19%
Incidents of theft of school furniture and/or physical plant by students: 2,380 0.19%
Reported incidents of theft within the school premises by students: 1,251, 0.100%
Reported incidents of harassment and/or abuse of school property by students: 1,251 0.100%
Situations of harassment and/or sexual abuse in the school: 399, 0.0003%
Reported situations of Cyberbullying and Social Networking: 1,011, 0.080%
Number of students with support needs for balanced self-esteem (being aware of their worth, their capabilities to face inconveniences in a resolute way): 18, 428, 1.520%
Students with reported suicidal situations: 865, 0.071%
Number of students who self-inflict injuries: 1,130 0.093%
Number of students who attempt suicide: 366, 0.030%
Attended situations associated with alcohol consumption: 393, 0.032%
Child labor situations: 1,280, 0.106% Attended controlled substance abuse situations (use of substances such as alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs): 392, 0.032%
Students using electronic cigarettes or other devices: 2,878, 0.230%
Situations associated with child abuse (when an aggressor intentionally hurts a minor, whether physically, psychologically or sexually, including acting in a negligent manner, the crime is called child abuse): 1,108, 0.091%
Students who have been victims of exploitation for any activity, e.g., (prostitution, child prostitution, child pornography, etc.): 97, 0.008%
Students who have been victims of human trafficking (human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud or coercion in exchange for labor, services or a commercial sex act): 42, 0.003%
Reported situations of domestic violence: 898, 0.074%
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
11 May 2023