Education Ministry Transfers $295 million Pesos to Decentralized School Boards in First 2012 Trimester

Education Ministry Transfers $295 million Pesos to Decentralized School Boards in First 2012 Trimester
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 5/5/2012

The Ministry of Education (MINERD in Spanish) transferred $295 million pesos to decentralized regional and district School Boards in the first trimester of 2012. This amount represents nearly 75% of that which was handed over in 2011, an amount of $409.6 million pesos. In 2010, $167 million pesos were given to the school boards. The goal of handing over this money is to improve institutional, administrative and pedagogical management in order to raise the quality of education throughout the country.

“I hope that this year we will fulfill the goal established in Resolution number 0668-2011 which outlines the transfer of 2.5 per cent of MINERD’s budget to the decentralized school boards,” said Minister Pimentel.

Education Minister, Josefina Pimentel, offered the information at the National Day for the Educational Decentralization, held to recognize the decentralized school boards that are undertaking commendable work.

“I hope that this year we will fulfill the goal established in Resolution number 0668-2011 which outlines the transfer of 2.5 per cent of MINERD’s budget to the decentralized school boards,” said Minister Pimentel.

“The country will continue to become stronger as we demonstrate that we are capable of managing these issues with transparency, ethics and efficiency as we make these resources available for the decentralization of the schools,” she said.

She explained that it is about trust and the local school boards must assume a proactive and committed attitude as they honor the responsibility placed in their hands with the monies they sought to be earmarked for schools in the communities.

“These decentralization organizations have been part of our legislation for the past 15 years and we are putting them into effect slowly and carefully,” she added.

Meanwhile, Alexis Fradera, deputy Minister for Education in charge of Decentralization Organizations, presented MINERD´s achievements in that area throughout 2011.  “We are working to raise the quality of our education system.”

Ms. Fradera said significant advances include the participation of 100 per cent of the regional and district school boards throughout the country and 50 per cent of the Central Boards, equivalent to 3,479.  Another achievement was that the administration of resources that exceeded their goal.

Dorotea Guerrero, Director General of Educational Decentralization, also spoke at the event. She said the decentralization process is in one of its most important moments thanks to the important measures taken by the Minister of Education.

“We are privileged because the current education decentralization efforts underway are among the Ministry´s priorities,” said Ms. Guerrero.

Throughout the event, Minister Pimentel presented recognition plaques to the various regional decentralization organizations in regions 10 and 15 of Santo Domingo and 06 of La Vega; the district educational organizations 05-07, of San José de los Llanos, and 18-03 of Villa Jaragua; Santa Teresa de Jesús School, which corresponds to district 02-01, in Comendador, Elías Piña; Magüey, of 06-05 district in La Vega.

Also, receiving plaques were the girls school, Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes in Santiago; Presidente Antonio Guzmán School of 09-02 district in Esperanza, Valverde; Limoncillar of the 12-03 district, El Seibo; Rubén Darío, 11-05 of Altamira, Puerto Plata; and the Amor de Dios Elementary School of district 15-05, of Santo Domingo West.

The National Day for the Educational Decentralization event included artistic presentations under the direction of the Rondalla from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), singer/songwriter, Manuel Jiménez and the National Folklore Dance Company. The celebration was held following a mass at the Catedral Primada de América (First Cathedral of the Americas) and the offering of a floral wreathe on the Altar of the Patria.

Minister of Education, Josefina Pimentel, with Alexis Fradera, deputy Minister for Education in charge of Decentralization Organizations and Dorotea Guerrero, Director General of Educational Decentralization, as she hands of recognition plaques to representatives of  Regional 10 of Santo Domingo, headed by the director, Argentina Henríquez.