Dominican Republic promises 1,500 new classrooms before school year starts

The Dominican Republic's Directorate of School Infrastructure (DIE) is set to deliver 1,500 new classrooms before the upcoming school year starts on August 24, as part of its "Aulas 24/7-365" plan. This initiative aims to expand the educational system's capacity and ensure better conditions for students returning to classes.

Beyond new construction, the DIE is executing a comprehensive maintenance and rehabilitation program targeting 14,000 classrooms across 1,451 educational centers throughout the country. Roberto Herrera, the director of School Infrastructure, reported that 850 schools have already undergone renovations, with work continuing on the remaining facilities. Schools facing the most significant deterioration are prioritized for completion before the school year begins, with ongoing tasks scheduled outside of class hours to minimize disruption.

Last year, the DIE delivered 1,135 new classrooms, and the goal for this year is to surpass that figure. The Directorate also projects the delivery of over 2,300 new classrooms in 2026, with a focus on early childhood education to increase coverage for children aged three to five.

These infrastructure projects are crucial for addressing the public education system's deficit of 87,219 school places as of June. While the new classrooms will reduce this gap, Herrera cautioned that the demand for spaces continues to rise due to increasing student enrollment. The DIE has also successfully reactivated stalled projects, accelerating the construction and completion of new schools in various provinces.

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The goal for this year is to exceed that figure with the enablement of 1,500 additional spaces before the students' return to classrooms.