Ministry of Education dismisses over 600 teachers for misconduct and job abandonment

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic (Minerd) recently announced the dismissal of over 600 teachers for serious offenses, including job abandonment and wage collection without working. Of these, 348 teachers resigned voluntarily, while 279 were dismissed due to misconduct. These terminations took place from December 2023 to August 2024.

According to Minerd’s Human Resources Department, 80% of the cases involved job abandonment, while the remaining 20% were linked to other disciplinary issues such as violence, sexual harassment, drug trafficking, and document forgery. The highest incidences were reported in Santo Domingo, La Vega, and San Pedro de Macorís regions. An investigation revealed that some teachers lived abroad or engaged in other jobs while continuing to receive Minerd salaries, ranging from RD$70,000 to RD$90,000, by paying substitutes a small monthly fee to cover for them.

Minerd’s Labor Misconduct Investigation Unit, in collaboration with the Dominican Association of Teachers and the General Directorate of Migration, conducted an in-depth investigation leading to the dismissals. The Unit also organized training sessions for school principals to emphasize the importance of ethical conduct, the duties of public servants, and the consequences of failing to fulfill these responsibilities.