The Dominican Teachers Association (APD) managed to get a substantial 8% pay increase from the Ministry of Education, which President Luis Abinader later raised to 10%, just last week. This new pay hike has been well criticized by several entities, in particular the Business Action for Education, Educa, which is a business entity that oversees education in the Dominican Republic.
Maria Waleska Alvarez, the current president of the group, told reporters that any pay increase for teachers should be tied to the results of their work, that is to say, that the children can read, write and do arithmetic. Alvarez noted that the 10% pay increase means an additional RD$11 billion to the national budget, costing each household about RD$2,500 more in taxes paid.
Alvarez said that the increase does not contemplate any additional commitment for academic excellence on the part of the teachers. She said that Educa would join with the National Council of Business (Conep) and request a meeting at the highest level to demand a commitment of the entire political system so that during the next four years any increment in pay must be accompanied by accomplishments in student performances in standardized tests.
Quite frankly, the educational leader said that the current pay increase is not sufficient for those teachers who really do their jobs, but it is too much for those who hardly do anything but collect a paycheck. Alvarez said the pay increase only brings “more inefficiency” in the Ministry of Education.
Educa has proposed the creation of a Fund for the Recognition of Responsible Teaching that would reward those who do really good work in the classrooms. An article in acento.com noted that the Dominican Republic is in the top four in Latin America in regards to teacher pay, but it is at the bottom when its students take standardized tests.
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Listin Diario
13 May 2024