A World Vision Dominican Republic study reinforces the objectives of new Education Minister Angel Hernandez to concentrate efforts on early schooling and elementary education. The study followed 637 students ages 8 and 9 from May to June 2022 in 41 schools in Dajabon, Montecristi, Los Alcarrixos, Haina and El Seibo and revealed that less than 30% of these students in third grade understood what they were reading.
The School-Based Test about Reading (STAR) method was used to carry out the study. It focuses on phonetics awareness, phonetics fluidity, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
The study attributes the low level of comprehension to the lack of early stimulation, scarcity of reading material and the lack of integration of families in the learning process.
In recent years, Dominican public school students have tested well below regional average in basic skills despite the government investing trillions in public school education since 2012.
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El Nuevo Diario
World Vision
15 December 2022