Education Minister: It is a myth that quotas have been reserved for Haitians in DR

Santo Domingo—In response to comments that priority is given to the enrollment of Haitian students in schools in the country, the Minister of Education, Angel Hernandez, denied it, stating that it is a matter of social racism. ” Here, a Dominican is not removed to give space to a foreigner; that is false,” he said.

“In the area of the city Juan Bosch, there was at some point a complaint, which, was circulating recently again, that Dominican children had not been enrolled and Haitian children had been preferred. I sent it to the area to verify the reality.” ‘4,800 children had been enrolled in the public schools of the area and in that group there were only 175 children of Haitian origin’, said Hernandez.

According to Minister Hernandez, another factor popularizing the “lack of space” reported by parents is their desire for their children to attend a specific educational center.

Hernandez gave the neighborhood of La Victoria, located in Santo Domingo, as an example. The majority of parents preferred their children to study at the Fe y Alegria institution, even though there were more schools in the area with vacancies.

He also guaranteed that every child would receive the bread of education in this new school year since the institution has a $500 voucher to pay for the education of children who may be “loose.”

Angel Hernandez, who was ratified in the position, announced that this Monday, August 26, President Luis Abinader will lead the inauguration of the school year in Santo Domingo, and Vice President Raquel Peña will do so in Santiago.