small victory for public school?

[LaTeacher]

remember that thread a long time ago about education in the DR? if i had mentioned some of the falling-down-holes-in-ceiling-over-crowded-understaffed high schools in santiago. the students of the HS in Ensanche Espaillat have spent the last two or three years sending letters, petitions from the community and visiting the school district trying to get the problems resolved. nothing.

what's worse than nothing? take a school that's literally falling apart. no windows in the window holes. lack of desks. lack of SPACE. unpaid teachers (as in, they haven't received their "nombramiento" yet and DON'T GET PAID) and ADD all of the best ideas the ministry of ed. has. a new pilot english program. writing programs. and expect the kids to excel in a dump.

well. it's finally happened. the press showed up two days ago. did a 6 minute expose on the school. melanio himself was on the phone to santiago the VERY SAME DAY. i'm not sure that it would have been fixed otherwise, but we all know you have to do what you have to do in this country to get things done. paredes says "no quiero que me esten criticando por situaciones de que no se nada". (i don't want to be criticized for situations he knows nothing about). yesterday afternoon a truck showed up with 300 desks, blackboards, two desks for the office, some filing cabinets...

and even more.

the promise that as soon as the community and the district finds the land - a new school will be built.

don't know if that will happen, but at least there was more response than with the prior administration.

[SKing]

It is sad that they had to go to the press but I am glad that things are going to get done now.
It is sad how these children don't even get a chance at an early age to excel.
SHALENA

[bob saunders]

Yes, after I saw your pictures of the school I was truely horrified and the first thought that crossed my mind was that someone in the school district was pocketing the money that should have been going in to the school. I hope that now the rest of the school will actually get fixed.

[A.Hidalgo]

If the government followed its own laws like The General Education Law 66-1997, which mandates to spend a least 4% of GDP or 16% of the national budget on investments in education, maybe just maybe things would be different. Sad part about it the law was passed over a decade ago. Btw La Teacher I am happy for you and students. E' pa'lante que vamos!. LOL

[LaTeacher]

the really sad part is that even if we were spending 16% of the national budget on education, it doesn't mean the kids would see it. apparently there had been money allocated to fix the HS, it just never made its way to the HS.

[simpson Homer]

Its a shame of the President himself, the education chief as well.

Public education should be way better. Such a country with so much money
to pay to a lot Gov. staff that does mothing, so much money to buy a Metro
like education doesnt have a priority.

Doest USD$20 departure or arrival Tax that tourist pay where does it go?
all the money collected from Highways toll that prob. to weeks collection
is enough to fix a portion of some school problems.

Presidents that dont think about how to make money to help the country
to improve. poor education, poor health service and poor public service.
a country that easy can be on top of any Caribbean country for being independent.

But its always being like that nothing will make it change for better. What a leaders that show not compasion.

Sad for the teachers that get not paid to educate the citizens while the big dudes
living the good life. Real heroes "teachers" dont get the real honor

Oh Education.....