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Dominican Republic begins 2026-2027 school year
The Dominican Republic has officially commenced the 2026-2027 school year, with over two million students returning to classrooms nationwide. The opening ceremonies were led by President Luis Abinader and Education Minister Luis Miguel De Camps, with central events held in Santo Domingo Este and Santiago.
To support families, the government has distributed the ‘Bono a Mil’ to 483,862 families, totaling RD$1,251 million, to assist with school-related expenses. The Ministry of Education (MINERD) reported that more than eight million textbooks and workbooks were distributed prior to the start of classes, and teacher staffing is reportedly at 100% capacity.
Parallel to the school year launch, the government is preparing a major reform of the General Education Law 66-97. The proposed legislation, expected to be submitted to the Senate in October, aims to modernize the system by better aligning technical and professional training with labor market demands and allowing specialized professionals, such as English and technology experts, to join the teaching workforce.
Despite the official celebrations, some groups have raised concerns. The Citizen Collective for Educational Quality held protests citing a deficit of 28,000 classrooms and inadequate infrastructure. Additionally, former Education Minister Melanio Paredes noted that previously announced plans for 2,000 new early childhood classrooms have not yet been realized.
Entities
Asociación Dominicana de Profesores · Dominican Association of Teachers · Dominican Republic · Escuela Leonor Novas Volquez · Escuela Leonor Novas Volquez · Jimaní · Leonor Novas Volquez School · Luis Abinader · Luis Miguel De Camps · Ministerio de Educación · Ministerio de Educación de la República Dominicana · Ministry of Education