Santo Domingo.- Franklin García Fermín, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (MESCYT), voiced opposition to any initiative that would merge the Ministries of Education and Higher Education, stating it would harm higher education. He argued that merging the two would overburden the Education Ministry, potentially bringing union issues from pre-university levels to universities, leading to strikes and disruptions.
García Fermín clarified that while there has been speculation about a government restructuring plan, he has not received any official confirmation. He emphasized the complexity of managing higher education, noting that the country’s 57 universities undergo evaluations every five years.
Addressing concerns about scholarship programs, García Fermín denied claims of budget cuts. He explained that, despite a reduction in the international scholarship budget due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry renegotiated agreements with universities, saving 400 million pesos and increasing the number of scholarships. MESCYT now awards around 10,000 scholarships annually, including both international and national programs.