Education

Education Minister announces start of teacher training in January
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 10/11/2013

Minister of Education Carlos Amarante Baret announced that a training program for teachers will begin next year in Child daycare facilities, a move that will improve teaching and complete the Comprehensive Plan in education that President Danilo Medina started by devoting 4% of gross domestic product to the national education system.

Baret said a training plan has been developed to elevate the vocational capacity of teachers and prevent young people from finishing their primary and secondary education with many gaps.

Baret said a training plan has been developed to elevate the vocational capacity of teachers and prevent young people from finishing their primary and secondary education with many gaps.

“You teach what you learn, and that’s why in January the Ministry of Education will start the teacher training program.  Two hundred childcare facilities will also be inaugurated next year to fulfill the promise of President Danilo Medina to place the country’s wealth at the service of the poor,” the Minister of Education said during a lecture “Danilo: A New Way of Governing.”

The event took place in the Legislator’s Club in East Santo Domingo. He explained that the Comprehensive Educational Plan provides for the construction of 28,000 new classrooms in four years, begin an Extended Day, and training for teachers in the primary education system.

“If we go to an Extended Day everyone should receive breakfast, lunch and a snack. When all those children who go to school are well fed, mothers, especially single mothers, will understand the reason for this extension because they will be more attentive, have more time to better themselves and give a new meaning in life because the State cares for their children,” he said.

He noted that the mothers of these children who enjoy the extended time will understand the revolution that President Danilo Medina is making in education.

In the Extended Day students will also learn dance, theater, dance, literature, poetry, music, singing and be better prepared in other areas of learning and the arts.  With this educational revolution youth have the right to a quality education, the Minister of Education said.

National Literacy Plan

He added that the National Literacy Plan has over 300,000 people registered and more than 80,000 graduates. “Juan Bosch had a literacy plan for the country, but this was not implemented due to the coup. Ending illiteracy is something worthwhile that the government must recognize.”

“This literacy plan is being implemented by one of Bosch’s best disciples, President Danilo Medina Sánchez, who has broken the wall which separates rulers from those governed.  As an outstanding follower of Juan Bosch, he also conducts surprise field visits and to those in the marginalized and impoverished sectors,” Amarante Baret noted.

He said that an agreement with the rector of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Mateo Aquino Febrillet, also intends to incorporate state college students into the literacy plan.

Amarante Baret said that President Medina understands the Comprehensive Plan is not everything, and so has called on society to participate in Regional and Sectoral Consultations about the National Pact on the Quality of Education, so that churches, civil society and citizens can all make their contributions to bring about a quality education.

The Mayor of Santo Domingo Juan de los Santos, provincial Governor Mr. Juan Arias, deputies Radhames Fortuna and Elpidio Baez and others also attended the conference.

Carlos Amarante Baret during his conference.