Ministry of Education Launches a Campaign for Good Treatment

Ministry of Education Launches a Campaign for Good Treatment
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 10/14/2011

In order to promote harmonious coexistence and encourage respect, participation and confidence in children and youth, the Ministry of Education (MINERD) launched an educational campaign called Hagamos un Trato por el Buen Trato (Let’s Agree to Treat Each Other Well) on Wednesday, October 12, through the General Directorate of Middle Education with support from the POVEDA Cultural Center.

The General Directorate of Middle Education urged schools, docent teams and teachers to formulate their proposal for good treatment, organizing and promoting training and recreational activities that encourage this culture.

The campaign, launched in the Víctor Estrella Liz Educational Center (La Perito), is framed in MINERD’s social dialogue policy and its purpose is to provide a space for raising awareness and reflection on good treatment with representatives of the mid-level educational community.

Students, teachers, technicians, parents, and administrative and support personnel echoed this action for good treatment, with the intention of building relations for coexistence and harmony to promote values such as solidarity, brotherhood, liberty, justice, dignity and compassion.

Professor Esperanza Ayala, director of Middle Education in MINERD’s, Vice-ministry of Technical and Pedagogical Affairs, said that October 12, a date that commemorates the meeting of two cultures, is appropriate for promoting dialogue among all sectors of society.

A culture of good treatment is built by establishing channels and relationships that create synergies between families, schools and communities. Living in community is a personal and collective commitment to build a peaceful society with love, Ayala said.

Ms. Ayala feels that good treatment is promoting, embracing, loving, respecting and participating and that this is possible through the recognition of dignity, empathy, solidarity, dialogue and effective communication, egalitarian interaction, negotiation and social justice.

The General Directorate of Middle Education urged schools, docent teams and teachers to formulate their proposal for good treatment, organizing and promoting training and recreational activities that encourage this culture.

Argentina Henríquez, Director of School Region 10, explained that the campaign was designed to address violence in the schools, after two student deaths occurred last year.

The Dominican Republic developed this campaign two years ago. It is an initiative that is being undertaken in different Latin American countries to commemorate November 19, World Day for the Prevention of Abuse and Violence against Children.

Professor Henríquez said that her region hosted this program with the understanding it can foster quality relationships and help the schools become true communities for learning and the strengthening of cooperative work.

Prior to the launch, an awareness-raising workshop was held with 70 participants, including national and regional technicians, teaching coordinators, students and directors of school regions 10 and 15 of Santo Domingo.

The educational campaign for good treatment has been developed in the educational centers of Region 10 since 2010, and it is set forth as a strategy in the Support to Learning Policy in all grades.

Attending the activity were representatives from the 18 school regions, and Marcia Frías, Isabel Lora and Rita Ceballos of POVEDA. Nidia Elizabeth Vizcaíno, a morning high school student from Taiwan, accompanied the master of ceremonies and a dance group delighted the audience.

From left to right: Mercedes Matrillé, Professional Technical Director; Argentina Henríquez, Director of Region 10; Esperanza Ayala, General Director of Middle Education; Rita Ceballos, General Coordinator of the POVEDA Cultural Center. Standing: student Nidia Elizabeth Vizcaíno, during the launching of the campaign for good treatment.