In his weekly press conference on Monday, 4 August 2025, President Luis Abinader explained the support of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Sports to sports programs for public school children.
The reach of the National Institute of Physical Education (Inefi), under the Ministry of Education, is now 1.5 million students. The President explained that more than 60,000 coaches have also received sports training. Abinader had praise for the expansion of the program under director Alberto Rodriguez.
During the press conference, Rodriguez highlighted the school sports program has had a major impact on reducing school desertion levels.
President Abinader says his government backs these efforts not only for its role in physical development of the students but for the positive influence in educating in values, discipline, self-confidence and collective spirit.
The expansion of the program has brought out the recovery of abandoned sports facilities and the construction of new ones nationwide. Minister of Sports Kelvin Cruz said that the government is investing RD$5 billion in infrastructure for school sports nationwide.
The President announced that the National School Sports Games were resumed with the first in Barahona in 2023. In 2025 more than 4,600 students will compete in 22 sports in the games that will be held in the northeastern region, with competitions in San Francisco de Macoris, Salcedo, Nagua and central La Vega venues from 19 September to 3 October. The eliminatories to choose the students in the sports games have been held this summer.
Abinader highlighted that the school sports programs have been improved to levels where they are now producing athletes for elite sports training programs.
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La Semanal 4 August 2025
Presidency
El Dia
El Dia
Diario Libre
5 August 2025