Dominican Republic deputies approve mandatory Moral and Civic education

The Dominican Republic's Chamber of Deputies has approved a bill in its second reading to make Moral and Civic education a mandatory subject within the pre-university system. The legislation, which resulted from the fusion of three separate initiatives by deputies Onavel Aristy, Jorge Zorrilla, and Liz Mieses, applies to both public and private educational institutions from the initial level through secondary school.

The curriculum aims to strengthen students' knowledge of the Constitution, human rights, national symbols, and democratic participation. The Ministry of Education (Minerd) will be responsible for supervising implementation and developing teacher training programs. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

In separate legislative developments, the Chamber also approved a project in its first reading to establish a National Phytosanitary Protection System to safeguard agricultural resources and prevent pest outbreaks. Additionally, discussions are underway regarding updates to digital justice laws to better integrate technological tools into judicial processes.