Today is the first day of school for 2.7 million children
and youths throughout the Dominican Republic. Some 1,251,333 students were
registered in the first to eighth grade.
This year school starts amidst complaints of high prices for school supplies and
books and a lack of classrooms. In the private sector, some schools have raised
tuition and fees by as much as 50%.
Hoy reports that the Dominican Teachers Association (ADP) says that many
students will not be enrolled because of a lack of space. According to Eduardo
Cuello, president of the ADP, today?s school is not so well equipped to house
thousands of children, and ?thousands and thousands of children are going to go
without classrooms.?
According to the report, ?Indicadores Educativos B?sicos 2002-2003? published by
the Ministry of Education, there are 13,134 schools offering elementary and high
school education. Of these, 11,005 are public schools and 1,916 private schools,
and 213 fall in the quasi-public school category. Of the total, the schools are
located 62% in rural areas (8,151) and 38% in urban centers (4,983).