Ministry of Education Inaugurates Calle Bonita School in San Cristobal

Ministry of Education Inaugurates Calle Bonita School in San Cristobal
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic  3/10/2012

Minister of Education, Josefina Pimentel, inaugurated the Calle Bonita School in Hatillo, San Cristobal, which brings to seven the number of new schools opened in the same number of communities in this province so far this year and nine since last June, 2011. These new schools were built at a cost of 133,500,250 pesos.

This school has an administration area, library, kitchen to make and distribute meals, a civic plaza, a garden, a perimeter fence and a dual water supply system …

Speaking to representatives of the Calle Bonita community, Education Ministry officials, local authorities, teachers and students, Minister Pimentel said the new school building has 7 classrooms to serve 590 students and was built with an investment of 20,477,459 pesos.

This school has an administration area, library, kitchen to make and distribute meals, a civic plaza, a garden, a perimeter fence and a dual water supply system with a cistern and integrated pumping capacity of 8,000 gallons.

Minister Pimentel said that currently in San Cristobal Province there are other schools under construction including Pajarito (La Piña), Los Corozos, Matías Ramón Mella and the Pabón School, all elementary schools.

She added that these other schools are in the bidding process: Boruga Arriba, Villa Fundación and Semana Santa.

She pointed out the since July 31, 2011 the Ministry has inaugurated the Sabana Grande de Palenque High School in that community and on September 16 they opened El Caobal School in the District of La Cuchilla, in Villa Altagracia.

She referred to last February when they simultaneously opened Our Lady of Fatima in Quijá Quieta, Villa Altagracia and the Pedro Usera and Daza I Schools.

“It gives us great joy to recall last February 14th when, at the opening event of the school in Medina, Villa Altagracia, we also simultaneously inaugurated Madre Vieja Sur and Najayo Abajo Schools,” added the Minister.

She said the historic province of San Cristobal has many good reasons to feel pride and joy insofar as the government has made a great effort to improve the infrastructure of the schools and will continue to do so, “as it is fundamental that educational advances continue and that our children and adolescents enjoy themselves and feel comfortable in the schools they attend and that the atmosphere contributes to their learning and successful development.”

She went on thank President Leonel Fernández for the help his government is providing the Ministry of Education (MINERD in Spanish) not only with financial resources but also with assistance in designing orientations and by offering unwavering support that strengthens the Ministry’s daily work and by encouraging education as the only way forward for the country.

Also speaking at the event was the Superintendent of Insurance, Euclides Gutiérrez Félix, who promised to provide Calle Bonita School with some of the furniture it needed. Dignora Cabrera, Director of Regional 04 of San Cristobal, gave the welcoming speech while sixth-grade student Daili Rodríguez, thanked the authorities on the part of her classmates.

Father Julio Martín Castillo, of the Church of Yaguate, blessed the school building. A group of students from the school put on a play about the responsibility of parents to help their children with their homework.

Others present at the event included the Governor of San Cristobal, Alonzo Gamalier Montás; the Deputy Education Minister in charge of School Buildings, the engineer William Sifres; Andrés de las Mercedes, Deputy Minister of Education; Gladys Casilla, Director of Educational District 04-02 and María Montero, Director of Calle Bonita School.

Prior to cutting the ribbon, Minister Pimentel received a group of students who gave her a bouquet of flowers and a basket of locally grown food products. She, in turn, gave them the keys to the school’s sports center.


Minister Pimentel, cutting the ribbon, is accompanied, from left to right, by Dignora Cabrera, Director of Regional 04 of San Cristóbal; María Montero, Director of the Calle Bonita School; Euclides Gutiérrez Félix (partially hidden), Superintendent of Insurance; Gladys Casilla, Director of Educational District 04-02; Alfonzo Gamalier Montás, Governor of San Cristobal; William Sifres, Deputy Education Minister in charge of School Buildings of MINERD and Father Julio Martín Castillo.