Education Ministry Introduces National Literacy Plan to Mayors of Greater Santo Domingo

Education Ministry Introduces National Literacy Plan to Mayors of Greater Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 11/9/2012

The Ministry of Education (MINERD in Spanish) recently introduced the National Literacy Plan, “Quisqeya Learns with You,” to the mayors of Greater Santo Domingo. The government’s goal with this plan is to eliminate illiteracy within the coming two years and to declare the Dominican Republic a country where everyone can read and write.

At the beginning of the meeting, Education Minister Josefina Pimentel, stated that this patriotic program has the support of the presidency of the country and that its goal, to teach more than 800,000 people to read and write, has become a milestone.

At the beginning of the meeting, Education Minister Josefina Pimentel, stated that this patriotic program has the support of the presidency of the country and that its goal, to teach more than 800,000 people to read and write, has become a milestone.

“For the past fifty years, there have been many initiatives from the Churches, the communities even the federal government. Various ministries have made efforts but never before has there been a strategy that is so involved to society as a whole in addition to the backing of a sitting president, in this case, President Danilo Medina.”

Minister Pimentel explained to the mayors of Greater Santo Domingo that the operational elements of the literacy plan willtake place in each municipality. She added that, according to the 2010 census, the province of Santo Domingo has a large number of illiterate people, which makes this program a bigger challenge because it will involve calling upon organizational capacities and leadership from the different areas to participate in the training processes.

Objectives of the meeting

Luis Holguín Veras, MINERDadvisor and member of the National Literacy Plan’s technical team, explained to the mayors how the project was designed, its objectives, structure and the important role it will play in the Municipal Literacy Groups that will be created in each municipality.

Matías Bosch spoke about the formation and function of the Municipal Literacy Groups, stressing the identification and registration of non-reading young people and adults who have not finished school as well as the registration of collaborating organizations and individuals.

Meanwhile, Roberto Salcedo, mayor of the National District, speaking for the group, expressed the enthusiasm of all the Mayors and of Greater Santo Domingo as they step up to support and promote this initiative. He stressed the Plan’s effort and importance for the municipalities and the country as a whole.

In addition to Minister Pimentel and Mr. Salcedo, others led the conversation at the meeting, such as Pedro Luis Castellanos, Director of Special Programs of the Presidency and coordinator of the Literacy Plan’s technical team. Mayors in attendance included Marino Lora of Haina,AmanthinaGarcía of Guerra, Magdalena Mazara, Technical Secretary of the Greater Santo Domingo Mayors Association and Onofre Rojas, Executive Director.

Greater Santo Domingo is made up of the municipalities of Santo Domingo West, East and North, Los Alcarrizos, Pantoja, Boca Chica, Pedro Brand, San Antonio de Guerra and the National District.

The meeting was held in the Consistorial Palace in Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone.

Minister of Education, Josefina Pimentel, speaking the Mayors of Greater Santo Domingo to introduce the National Literacy Plan, “Quisqeya Learns with You.” She is accompanied by, from left to right, José Miguel Martínez, Environmental Secretary; Andrés Navarro, General Secretary of the Town Hall of the National District (AND); Roberto Salcedo, Mayor of the National District; Onofre Rojas, Executive Director of the Greater Santo Domingo Mayors Association; Magdalena Mazara, Technical Secretary of theADN; AmanthinaGarcía, Mayor of Guerra and Marino Lora, Mayor of Haina.