Dominican Government outlines plan for new 2026-2027 school year

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader and Education Minister Luis Miguel De Camps presented the Dominican Republic’s operational strategy for the 2026-2027 school year, covering enrollment, teachers, infrastructure, educational materials, student welfare and transportation.

The plan, coordinated since March, includes RD$1.251 billion in school vouchers to help families with back-to-school expenses and the early distribution of 8 million textbooks and workbooks for more than 2.08 million students in the public education system.

On infrastructure, the Ministry of Education expects to deliver 1,509 classrooms by the end of August and begin work on 266 additional schools before December. Authorities also reported that 60 buildings were identified with the structural defect known as “short columns,” with 19 already reinforced as part of ongoing seismic safety measures.

The Government also highlighted the expansion of the National Student Transportation System (TRAE), which operates 1,871 buses across 837 routes in all 31 provinces, serving 6,370 public schools. A centralized monitoring center supervises the buses in real time to strengthen student safety.

Authorities said the strategy seeks to ensure a smooth start to the school year while strengthening infrastructure, educational resources, transportation and student well-being.