Dominican Republic educators debate history content in new textbooks

A dispute has emerged in the Dominican Republic regarding the historical content of new pre-university textbooks produced under the Ministry of Education’s ‘Libro Abierto’ program.

Eduardo Hidalgo, president of the Dominican Teachers Association (ADP), accused historians and the Ministry of Education of ‘denaturalizing’ Dominican history. Hidalgo argued that the new narratives regarding national sovereignty and the legacy of founding father Juan Pablo Duarte are being distorted to serve foreign interests and agendas.

In response, historian Roberto Cassá, director of the General Archive of the Nation (AGN), defended the materials. Cassá, who coordinated the production of six books covering Dominican, American, and universal history, stated that the texts were designed to strengthen historical consciousness and critical thinking. He emphasized that the books align with the established curriculum and asserted that the Ministry of Education did not modify the content originally authored by the multidisciplinary team of historians, pedagogues, and psychologists.