Ministry of Education Gives $70 Million Pesos to Regional Offices

Ministry of Education Gives $70 Million Pesos to Regional Offices
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 9/19/2011

The Ministry of Education (MINERD), through the Office of International Cooperation (OCI in Spanish), gave 70 million pesos to the Regional Offices and the Financial Committees of the District Offices to purchase material and school supplies to be used throughout the academic year.

Education Minister, Josefina Pimentel, disbursed the checks in the company of Fernando Ogando, Director of the OCI, and Adalberto Martínez, Deputy Minister of Supervision, at an event held in the Ercilia Pepín Hall of MINERD.

Education Minister, Josefina Pimentel, disbursed the checks in the company of Fernando Ogando, Director of the OCI, and Adalberto Martínez, Deputy Minister of Supervision, at an event held in the Ercilia Pepín Hall of MINERD.

In addition to these funds, they also gave Regional Districts 15, 10, 4 and 17 two million pesos for their own supervision tasks in their schools.

Minister Pimentel explained that supervision is necessary under all circumstances and even more when it comes to schools. It is necessary to fulfill and to keep track of the goals and objectives they are seeking and to make sure they are reached and to stimulate and apply corrections where necessary.

She explained that continued education in the schools require that the Districts closely evaluate, supervise and identify all needs. 

The material acquired with this money includes such resources as chalk, erasers, paper as well as books and digital devices that are being distributed to children in the classrooms. This will serve to guarantee and fulfill the job of classroom teaching in the schools, she explained.

“I urge you to be organized and plan for the rational, fair and pertinent distribution of the resources that are being disbursed for necessities and to later guarantee that you have fulfilled the established controls in order to continue to strengthen this strategy,” Ms. Pimental told the educators.  

She added that if this can be achieved in the Ministry and strengthened as a strategy, it will contribute to the participation and decentralization, as established under the law.

During the activity, Fernando Ogando explained how the money should be wisely used.

During the activity, Fernando Ogando explained how the money should be wisely used. Adalberto Martínez referred to the second disbursement of two million pesos that will help cover the costs incurred by district technicians when they visit the schools to carry out their supervision tasks. He reminded those in attendance that the first disbursement of funds of four million pesos took place several months ago.

The Minister of Education handed over the checks to Dignora Cabrera, Director of Regional District 04 (San Cristóbal); to Argentina Henríquez, Director of Regional District 10 (Santo Domingo); to Francisca Suero of Regional District 15 (Los Alcarrizos), where they built 18 new schools; to Juan Tomás Brito, Director of Regional District 17 (Monte Plata), and to César Neftalí Alcántara of the same regional district.

From left to right,  Adalberto Martínez, Deputy Minister in charge of supervision for MINERD; Josefina Pimentel, Minister of Education; Professor Dignora Cabrera, director of Regional District 04 (San Cristóbal) and Giselle Félix, Administrative Deputy Minister at the disbursement of checks to be used for materials and school supplies