Vice President Raquel Peña met with 25 education sector non-governmental organizations and agreed to wait to receive specific projects for the use of RD$4.25 billion that would be cut from the Ministry of Education budget. The Ministry of Hacienda argues the projects for which the funds would have been used will not be implemented this year. The actions coincide with the removal of former Minister of Education Roberto Furcal from the position. He was named instead to be in charge of strategic projects at the Presidency.
The government has proposed to reshuffle RD$14.87 billion of the 2022 budget. Ministries that would receive increases in budget are the ministries of Tourism, Sports, Youth, Foreign Relations, Women, Culture, Housing and Public Administration. Likewise, the complementary budget bill includes increases for the Superior Electoral Court (TSA) and the Attorney General Office (PGR). The funds for the increases would come from cuts to the Ministry of Hacienda, Education, Labor, Public Works and Energy & Mines.
Meanwhile, the Abinader administration understands it has better uses for the education funds. The Ministry of Hacienda complementary budget would increase by RD$1.83 billion the funding of the propaganda division of the Presidency, the Diecom.
Attending the meeting with the Vice President Raquel Peña were Minister of Education Angel Hernandez, the director of National Budget Jose Rijo Presbot and Minister of Hacienda Jose Manuel (Jochi) Vicente.
The Vice President requested the organizations meet with the Minister of Education to see how the funds can be used from now to the end of the year.
Pedro Acevedo, of the Salesian brothers congregation, acted as spokesperson for the educational entities. He requested that the budget not be cut and said that the funds could be used to train teachers, early child education, for the polytechnical schools and much more.
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DR1 News
7 September 2022