SantoDomingo.- The new school year, which officially starts today, will beinaugurated by president Danilo Medina later this morning. 2014-2015 opens withmany students in the state sector going to schools that have introduced the newextended school day, a measure the authorities say will abolish socialexclusion.
Atthe same time, many parents feel the pressure of having to pay for costlyschoolbooks and supplies.
TheMinistry of Education and the Federation of Parents of Children in Public andPrivate Schools are calling on families and society as a whole to send pupilsto school so as to ensure the success of the new school session.
Accordingto the Minister of Education, Carlos Amarante Baret, 2,705,297 students haveenrolled in school this year, and 1,997,218 are in the public sector. 664,382students are in the private system and 63,697 are in the semi-official system.
Thesepupils will be attending 11,756 schools, of which 6,983 are public, 4,484private and 289 are semi-official.
Ofa target of 10,000 new classrooms, 6,207 will be in use in 422 new schools and2,100 in 282 remodelled schools, at a cost of RD$600 million. The ministerinformed that they are ready to provide 1, 532,478 school snacks and that some814,000 will be receiving lunch and a snack as of 25 August.
Theywill also be distributing close to six million books, at a cost of more than1.284 billion pesos. The neediest students will also be receiving uniforms andbackpacks.