Minister opens four schools in Valverde and Santiago Rodríguez

Minister opens four schools in Valverde and Santiago Rodríguez
Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo 04/15/13

The Minister of Education, Josefina Pimentel, opened four schools in three municipalities of the Valverdeprovince and in Santiago Rodríguez, with a total investment of RD $32,381,058 pesos.

The schools that were opened were: General Benito Monción, in Mao; Los Callejones, in Esperanza; José Francisco Peña Gómez, in Laguna Salada; and La Ginita, with extended school day model, in Santiago Rodríguez.

The schools that were opened were: General Benito Monción, in Mao; Los Callejones, in Esperanza; José Francisco Peña Gómez, in Laguna Salada; and La Ginita, with extended school day model, in Santiago Rodríguez.

The Minister delivered the schools in a joint event that took place in the early childhood and basic education school General Benito Monción, which is located in theEnemencioJesúsGarcíastreet, in the Military neighborhood of Mao. Civil, military and religious authorities were in attendance.

In her keynote address, Minister Pimentel said that she felt elated because this is the first opening ceremony she leads during the first term of President Danilo Medina. “It allows us to observe directly the result of the efforts that the government and the Ministry of Education (MINERD) have made towardstrengthening Dominican education,” she said.

Minister Pimentel noted that the recently opened schools will gradually adopt the extended day model, which,she assured, is set to revolutionize the educationthat is being provided to children and young people, because it will allow to make a better use of time, thereby raising the quality of learning.

She announced that soon, in the province of Sánchez Ramírez, the following schools will be opened: Beatriz Almonte, EmilianoEspaillat, Los Minerosand Luis Reyes, “so that the central government and MINERD may meet the needs of the students in this province.”

Describing the schools that wereopened, the Minister explained that in the case of the early childhood and basic education school General Benito Monción, six classrooms were built on two levels. The school also has two bathrooms, stairs and an administrative office.The total investment was 12,752,484 pesos, and 362 students will benefit from it.

She pointed out that the school restoration included granite floors;Salomonicwindows;Everdoor-type doors made of various metals;a perimeter concrete sidewalks; play areas for children;a kitchen; asharedcourt for basketball and volleyball practice; granite benches;a perimeter block-wall fence; gutters for rain drainage;a 4,000 gallon water tank; and electrical indoors and outdoors installations.

Minister Pimentel also opened the early childhood and basic education schoolLos Callejones, in Esperanza, Mao,which received an investment of 6,874,997 pesos. She explained that three classrooms, an administrative office and a staff room were built in this school.

The school also has stairs leading toward the second level; granite floors;indoors electricity and lighting;simpleconcrete perimeter sidewalks; access sidewalks; grass in the outdoor patio; ahalf court for practicing sports;a bathroom, and a 4,000 gallon water tank.

The Aquino neighborhood in Cruce de Guayacanes, Laguna Salada, received arenovatedJosé Francisco Peña Gómez school. The school had three classrooms for basic education renovated and a newly-builtclassroom for early childhood education. The total investment was RD$7,663,140.

Minister Pimentel said that the renovation of the school, which serves 130 students, included access and perimeter sidewalks; roof waterproofing with polyester canvas; granite floors; plumbing and electrical installations;steel doors; protective iron; anadministrative module; a four-stall bathroom; and a kitchen for hostingthe school breakfast.

Another renovated school is LaGinita, which is located in the upper area of the Villa Los Almácigos municipality, in Santiago Rodríguez. This school had a dining room and a kitchen built for the extended-day pilot project, with an investment of RD$5,090,435. The dimensions of this area are 21 x 10 meters, which will accommodate 150 students distributed among a lounge for diners, a queue organizer, a dispatcher, a kitchen, a pantry and an outdoors sink space.

The welcoming address was offeredMrs. Milagros Almonte, Director of the Regional 09 in Mao, and the Valverde Provincial Governor, Dr. Domingo Colón, who delivered the motivational speech.

The Bishop of the Diocese of Mao-Montecristi, Monsignor Dióme de Espinal, blessed the construction works and, on behalf of the students,JasmínAltagraciaMartínez, a sixth grader at the Benito Monciónschool, thanked the authorities.

During the activity, the Minister provided sports gears, while she received a basket withlocally producedfruit and agricultural products. Those present enjoyed the artistic presentation of folk dancing by students of theEl Guanal-Sabaneta school.

The ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Ministers Minerva Vincent and GiselleFeliz, of MINERD, Omar de Jesús Guevara, General Director of School Infrastructure Maintenance (DGMIE – Dirección General de Mantenimiento de Infraestructura Escolar), the Director of the General Benito Monción school, Mrs. Paula Acosta, and the Mayor of Esperanza, Bolívar Mena.

La ministra de Educación, licenciada Josefina Pimentel, hace el corte de cinta simbólico que dejo inaugurado cuatro centros educativos en las provincias de Valverde y Santiago Rodríguez. Le acompañan, de izquierda a derecha, la directora de la regional de educación 09, licenciada Milagros Almonte; la directora del centro educativo General Benito Monción, licenciada Paula Acosta; el director general de la DGMIE, Omar Guevara y el gobernador de Valverde, doctor Domingo Colón.