Training
Formally, compulsory schooling is between the
ages of 5 and 14, which includes one year of preschool.
Despite this, fewer than half of the children attend
preschool and just over a third never finish their
eight-year primary school. After elementary school there
is the opportunity to study for four years at the upper
secondary level.
Most children start school at age 6. However, many
spend just a few hours a day at school, due to such
things as a lack of educated teachers and great
congestion. Among those who leave school early are
mainly children from poor families who have to help at
home or work to contribute to their livelihood. One in
four girls quits because they are pregnant.
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Allcitypopulation: Offers a list of biggest cities in the state of
Dominican Republic, including the capital city which hosts major colleges
and universities.
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COUNTRYAAH:
Country facts of Dominican Republic, including geography profile, population statistics, and business data.
The school system in the Dominican Republic had a
long reputation for being the worst in the region and
the share of the budget spent on education was one of
the lowest in the world. The teachers are underpaid,
which attracts few to the profession, and the curricula
are outdated. President Danilo Medina, who took office
in 2012, promised to build 18,000 new classrooms, double
the education's share of the budget, and arrange for all
children to have eight hours of school day. Many
improvements have also been made, but among other
things, many teachers have had difficulty filling out
the extra teaching hours with sensible activities. In
the fall of 2015, the World Bank allocated 50 million US
dollars for school reform over a five-year period. Above
all, better investment in teacher education would be
required.
President Medina also launched a literacy campaign in
2013, with the goal that all adults would learn to read
and write, which, according to the president, led to
half a million Dominicans learning to read and write in
one year.
The state school is free of charge but those who can
afford send the children to private schools. Children of
Haitian immigrants, even those born in the Dominican
Republic, often are not allowed to attend school because
they lack identity documents (see Political system).
In the capital Santo Domingo there are several
universities. The state-owned Universidad Autónoma, with
several branches around the country, originated in the
oldest university in the Western Hemisphere, founded in
1538. There are also several private colleges.
Universities are also located in Santiago in the north
and in San Pedro de Macorís in the east.
FACTS - EDUCATION
Proportion of children starting primary
school
92.9 percent (2017)
Number of pupils per teacher in primary
school
19 (2016)
Reading and writing skills
93.8 percent (2016)
Public expenditure on education as a
percentage of GDP
12.6 percent (2007)
Public expenditure on education as a
percentage of the state budget
12.6 percent (2007)
2009
February
Security forces are accused of criminal links
Independence Day's military parade is canceled after
military and police are linked to organized crime and
drug trafficking.
2008
May
Jail against bank owner established
The Supreme Court decides against the bank Baninter's
owner and chairman, Ramón Báez Figueroa, sentenced to
ten years in prison for crimes that led to the bank
collapsing and the whole country being thrown into an
economic and political crisis (see Modern History).
2007
December
60,000 are evacuated after Hurricane Olga
A new hurricane, Olga, is moving across the country.
Forty people are killed while 60,000 are evacuated.
November
Disaster after Hurricane Noel
Hurricane Noel claims close to 90 lives and drives
50,000 people to escape from their homes.
March
ID check threat to Haitians
The Election Authority urges civil servants to
carefully examine ID documents to be renewed or
registered, as they may have been issued on incorrect
grounds. In practice, this leads thousands of Dominicans
of Haitian origin to get their ID documents failed.
Thus, they will be considered paperless and can be
deported at any time. They also lose their right to
vote, are denied education and cannot get formal
employment.
Free Trade Agreement with USA
A free trade agreement with the US enters into force,
which strengthens the economic upturn.
2006
May
PLD victorious in parliamentary elections
The PLD government wins the parliamentary election
and gets over half the mandate.
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