11 Santiago schools miss start of school year amid construction, shortages

The start of the school year in Santiago, Dominican Republic, was marred by disruptions as at least 11 educational centers could not open their doors on Monday. Students were unable to begin classes due to ongoing reconstruction work, deteriorating physical structures, and a critical lack of teachers.

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many of the schools where this Monday the school year could not begin drag infrastructure problems and other difficulties from several years ago, without having received a definitive solution to date.

Among the affected institutions are Anacaona Almonte, Ulises Francisco Espaillat, and Venezuela, all undergoing significant renovations. Other schools, like El Papayo, are grappling with insufficient teaching staff, while Venecia Cepeda's community opted to keep children home until serious infrastructure problems and overflowing septic tanks are addressed. Schools in Jacagua and Gurabo also face delayed openings due to pending reconstruction.

Miguel Jorge, president of the Dominican Teachers' Association in Santiago, attributed the widespread issue to a failure in planning by educational authorities. He stated that many of these schools have had persistent problems for years without definitive solutions, preventing them from offering a safe and adequate learning environment. Parents and guardians echoed these concerns, demanding that authorities rectify the deficiencies before allowing students to return, prioritizing their safety and well-being.

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I will conduct a survey to identify the centers that could not start classes and the Ministry of Education will be taking measures to address the difficulties.

In response, Vice President Raquel Peña announced a survey to identify the schools unable to commence classes and assured that the Ministry of Education would address the difficulties. Pedro Pablo Marte, the director of Education in Santiago, explained that some schools required extensive physical interventions, citing Venezuela and Francisco Ulises Espaillat as examples where final touches are pending. He also noted that El Aguacate would need to be rebuilt entirely.

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the school Venezuela and Francisco Ulises Espaillat, where some details are missing to conclude the work.