Socioeconomic gap is felt in student learning in the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The disparity among Dominican students extends beyond the educational institutions they attend, encompassing their socioeconomic status as well. There is a clear correlation between poverty and academic performance, with those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experiencing lower levels of achievement in the classroom.

This trend is evident in the findings of the National Diagnostic Evaluation study conducted by the Ministry of Education (Minerd). The study aimed to assess the knowledge levels of Dominican pre-university students in core subjects such as Spanish Language, Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. The results revealed a general stagnation in the learning outcomes of children and adolescents compared to previous years.

According to the evaluation report released by the Minerd, the majority of students in the first three quintiles performed at the elementary level, while the majority of students in the fourth and fifth quintiles achieved acceptable and satisfactory levels of proficiency.

Focusing on Third Grade Primary School students who took part in the study, it was observed that 59.9%, 59.2%, and 55% of students in quintiles 1, 2, and 3, respectively, remained at the elementary level of knowledge of the Spanish Language. In contrast, 44.4% and 27.2% of students in quintiles 4 and 5, respectively, reached the same level.

Conversely, among those who demonstrated the highest level of proficiency, falling within the satisfactory range for the subject, quintile 5 had the largest percentage at 37%, whereas quintile 1 had the lowest at 10.1%.

A similar pattern emerged in mathematics, the subject with the lowest overall performance. 54% of students in quintiles 1, 2, and 3 exhibited elementary knowledge, compared to 43% and 27% in quintiles 4 and 5, respectively. However, only 14% of students in quintiles 1 and 2 achieved this level, in contrast to 35.8% of students in quintile 5.Acc