Dominican Republic opens second round of National Exams amid chronic education crisis

Santo Domingo.- From August 5 to 10, more than 26,000 students who failed the first sitting will retake the 2025 National Exams, the Ministry of Education announced Thursday. The retake comes on the heels of results showing that out of over 114,000 candidates, only 88,538 passed in June, underscoring the country’s persistent struggles in secondary education.

The exam schedule mirrors the initial session: on Tuesday, August 5, students in all secondary tracks—academic, technical-professional and arts—will tackle Mathematics and Social Studies; Wednesday, August 6, brings Spanish Language and Natural Sciences. Adult learners and those who missed earlier years will sit their tests on Saturday, August 9 (Mathematics and Social Studies) and Sunday, August 10 (Spanish and Natural Sciences). All exams run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with two hours allotted per subject.

These repeat sittings arrive at a time when the Dominican Republic consistently ranks near the bottom of PISA assessments, with students underperforming in reading, math and science compared to regional peers. Education experts warn that the high number of repeat candidates, now topping 26,000, reflects deeper systemic issues: underfunded schools, overcrowded classrooms and a curriculum ill-adapted to real-world demands.

Students can check their first-session results online at the Ministry’s portal (ministeriodeeducacion.gob.do) by entering their school year, exam cycle and RNE or registration number, then completing the security check. As the second round unfolds, educators and policymakers face mounting pressure to overhaul teaching methods and resources before another generation steps into the same cycle of low achievement.