Minerd enrolls 15,000 students in private schools via support program

The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Education (Minerd) has integrated around 15,000 students into private schools this year, utilizing the School Assistance Support Program. This measure is part of the government's strategy to guarantee school placements for students facing immediate availability issues in public institutions.

These 15,000 new beneficiaries join over 10,000 students already enrolled in private schools under the same program. The government continues to cover the costs associated with these placements. Vice Minister of Planning and Educational Development, Ayacx Mercedes, explained the mechanism to President Luis Abinader during the launch of "La Agenda Semanal."

Mercedes clarified that the program's goal is to maintain students' education without disruption. The ministry has addressed 157,000 effective requests for new student placements for the 2026-2027 school year. He refuted higher figures circulating about a lack of school spots, stating all demands were met promptly through various solutions.

The ministry employed several strategies to accommodate the demand. These included relocating students to available spaces within their current schools, transferring them to nearby educational centers in the same district, and coordinating with private schools through the assistance program. Additionally, the government rented spaces to serve as temporary classrooms, expanding capacity in high-demand areas. This combination of measures allowed the ministry to successfully meet the 157,000 requests for new student enrollments.