Dominican Republic launches school year focused on AI, digital education, and law reform

The Dominican Republic launched its 2026-2027 school year with President Luis Abinader and Education Minister Luis Miguel De Camps emphasizing a digital future for students. The ceremony took place at the Espejo La Milagrosa Basic School in Santo Domingo Este, welcoming 2.6 million students. The administration plans to integrate artificial intelligence into education and pursue an update to the nation's education law.

The ministry also aims to boost student performance in core subjects like reading, writing, and mathematics. Furthermore, it seeks to broaden access to technical and vocational training, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEAM) fields. De Camps highlighted the challenge of not only getting students into classrooms but ensuring they remain and achieve better learning outcomes.

During a weekly press briefing, officials discussed ongoing projects. Minister De Camps noted efforts in school architectural design and the pursuit of a consensus to revise the education law. This revision would allow for greater flexibility in hiring specialized professionals for technical and English-language roles, strengthening polytechnic institutes and moving towards a bilingual system.

However, the start of the school year was met with protests in some areas. Citizens demonstrated regarding school conditions and staff welfare. In Santiago, eleven schools failed to open their doors due to ongoing reconstruction and a shortage of educators, underscoring persistent challenges despite the government's modernization agenda.

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