Dominican Ministry of Education warns against union class hour reductions

The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Education (MINERD) has issued a warning regarding the mandatory compliance of the official school schedule following unilateral actions by the Dominican Association of Teachers (ADP).

In the Greater Santo Domingo area, the ADP has implemented a reduction in class hours as a form of protest. The measure includes cutting one hour from extended-day shifts and 30 minutes from regular shifts. The union is demanding the appointment of essential support staff, including janitors, security guards, gardeners, and additional teachers, to ensure proper school functionality.

MINERD stated that the school calendar and schedule are official provisions approved by the National Council of Education and cannot be modified unilaterally by unions or individual centers. The Ministry emphasized that maintaining full instructional time is critical to improving learning quality and protecting the rights of students to receive their designated education.