Helping Schools In Dominican Republic
There will be a $12.5 million expansion of the USAID's Effective School Program in the Dominican Republic.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced a $12.5 million expansion of the United States Agency for International Development's Effective School Program in the Dominican Republic. The announcement was made during Secretary Clinton's recent visit to the Dominican Republic. Secretary Clinton toured the Hogar Rosa Duarte Public Elementary School in Santo Domingo, accompanied by the Dominican Republic's Education Minister Melanio Paredes, Monsignor Agripino Nunez, Rector of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, and School Principal Sister Victoria Reyes. She had the opportunity to meet with teachers and students and important local authorities. The Dominican Republic's public education system faces many challenges in the development and delivery of quality education. In the past, the USAID has had separate programs for math and language arts. This new 5 year $12.5 million increase in funding by USAID will be expanding to reach 450 public schools to access a full range of programming in reading, writing, math, and school administration. This project is fully supported by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Education and will be implemented by USAID partner Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra. The Effective School Program will train first through fourth grade teachers in improved methodologies and better use of available materials and classroom time. Additionally, it supports improved school management by increasing the capacity of school administrators and the community to participate in the shared responsibility of educating children. To date, more than 3,000 teachers, principals, Dominican Education Ministry staff, and trainers have been trained to the benefit of 200 schools and more than 90,000 students. The United States is committed to working with the Dominican Republic to improve education for all Dominican children.