Opening of

Opening of XXXVI Annual Edition of School Song Month
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic   10/6/2011

The Ministry of Education (MINERD) and the Office of the First Lady officially opened School Song Month in an event headed by Minister of Education, Josefina Pimentel, and Dominican First Lady, Margarita Cedeño de Fernández.

The event was held on Monday October 3 in the Pedro Henríquez Ureña plaza of the Education Ministry and was attended by students, teachers and Ministry officials.

The event was held on Monday October 3 in the Pedro Henríquez Ureña plaza of the Education Ministry and was attended by students, teachers and Ministry officials.

In the introductory words, Minister Josefina Pimentel emphasized that the educational activity of disseminating a school song and music is supported and strengthened by the First Lady who is promoting values that heighten the human condition through the Bien Por Ti (Good for You) campaign, being promoted by the Office of the First Lady.

“Artistic education as a curricular item seeks to awaken in human beings capacity and creative force, elevate emotions and sentiments of brotherhood, affection, truth and justice. We understand that singing in the classroom, as part of the classroom, is of vital importance for human development and that it constitutes a form of personal and social expression while being the ideal vehicle for communication,” said Minister Pimentel.

She reiterated that arts education is essential for the comprehensive development of students and that it humanizes and strengthens learning. Thus the slogan, she said: “If the schools sing, the country is uplifted!”

She added that, “Singing raises self-esteem, creates joy, communicates and shares ideas and content that will not soon be forgotten in the busy lives of the citizens. Also, skills are developed and aspirations like socialization, comprehension, friendship, discipline, respect, ethical and expressive development are attained”.

There was an emotional moment when Minister Pimentel called for the songs by the late music teacher Zunilda Pierret de Morel which are contained in her songbook , A Crecer Cantando (To Grow Up Singing). She said, the songs lift the spirit and mind and provide educational orientation for children, adolescents and young people.

In a motivational speech, the First Lady said that one of the strategic guidelines to promote a society´s values is to articulate actions and processes with educational activities. For this reason, MINERD has distributed 2,000 guides for teachers on teaching values in the classroom  and how they can be applied in all areas of their lives.

¨This is a great contribution from the Ministry of Education because school is the mother of all knowledge,¨ said Dr. Margarita Cedeño de Fernández.

She added that the Office of the First Lady has worked with the Association of Parents and Friends of the School (APME in Spanish) so that this entity can oversee the values are being used in the classroom.

The School Song Month, an annual event since 1975 when it was went into effect through Presidential decree 11- 41, is dedicated this year to promoting values through song, linking these efforts to the strategy adopted by society with values and with the Bien Por Ti campaign, being promoted by the Office of the First Lady.

As part of the month-long activities underway in this XXXVI edition of the School Song Month, the Artistic Education Area under the direction of the Curricular Office and the Deputy Minister for Technical and Pedagogical Issues, there will be a posthumous homage to the teacher Zunilda Pierret de Morel for her contributions to national art and as the author of many school songs. There will also be choir events in the 18 school districts, day-long teacher and technical training workshops as well as song creation seminars for choir directors throughout the country.

The event began with a singing of the National Anthem by the Colegio Santa Teresita choir which also delighted the audience with more songs including Civilización del amor and Bien por Ti. The choir of the Escuela Guardería Damas Diplomáticas also sang a few songs, including Un nuevo sol and Abracitos y besitos.

Among those present were the founder of the Integral Music Education Department (DEMI in Spanish), Leyla Pérez y Pérez and María Morel de Pierret, the daughter of the late Zunilda Pierret de Morel.

Celebrations of the School Song Month will conclude with the XXXVI José de Jesús Ravelo Festival of Choirs in which public and private school groups from around the country will participate with songs about recovering values such as hope, responsibility, solidarity, love of others, faith, social justice, humility, peace, integrity, tolerance and respect.


Education Minister, Josefina Pimentel, First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, with Deputy Education Minister Minerva Vincent and Mrs. María Morel de Pierret, daughter of the late Zunilda Pierret de Morel, at the event in celebration of School Song Month.