Dominican Republic deputy demands report on school vacancy shortages

Deputy Selinée Méndez has called on the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic (MINERD) to publish a detailed and verifiable report regarding the availability of school vacancies for the 2026-2027 academic year. The demand for transparency follows reports of families struggling to secure placements for their children.

Méndez highlighted a significant discrepancy between official government figures and estimates provided by the Dominican Association of Teachers (ADP). While MINERD initially acknowledged approximately 9,000 students without placements and later reduced that figure to 6,000, the ADP warns that nearly 474,000 students could face access difficulties. According to the ADP, this includes roughly 153,000 three-year-olds and over 321,000 students at other levels.

The legislator requested that authorities clarify their methodology, the specific metrics used, and the exact number of students currently on waiting lists to address the reported deficit in educational infrastructure and capacity.