EDUCATION IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Many people understand that the public education system in the Dominican Republic leaves much to be desired, but comparing it to that of the United States helps one to understand the depth of the problem. The net enrollment rate for primary schooling in the Dominican Republic is 90%, which is only 4% lower than in the U.S. However the dropout rate for students in primary education is 25.2%, which is more than triple the 6.9% drop out rate in the U.S. Another sobering statistic shows that the net enrollment rate for secondary education in the U.S. is 88%, whereas it is only 40% in the Dominican Republic.
These unfavorable public education statistics are reflective of the poor quality of education that the children receive. Students in public schools in the Dominican Republic do not receive enough individual attention at school due to the high student-to-teacher ratio; 25 or more students to 1 classroom teacher in primary education. In United States primary education there are around 13 students to 1 classroom teacher. This discrepancy has devastating effects on a child’s ability to learn as they are not able to receive extra support while learning difficult lessons, and certainly contributes to students dropping out of school early or failing. At Colegio Makarios, we strive to maintain a ratio of no more than 16 students per every 2 professionals in a classroom. We believe that the personalized reinforcement that we are able to provide for our students in a class of this size is one of the keys to success they experience at our school. |
Aside from introducing our students and their families to Jesus, our main focus in the Dominican Republic is educational development as a solution to the very real problem of poverty. More than a third of the country’s population lives in poverty and almost 20% live in extreme poverty. We believe quality education is the way out of that.
The majority of our students’ parents earn two to five dollars a day working in the sugar cane fields or construction. Our goal is to give our kids a quality education and vocational training so that they can bring their families out of poverty by obtaining better-paying jobs. 
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"We are confident that the Lord is working through our staff at school to lead students in a way that breaks the cycle of poverty." |
Another factor that keeps children out of public school in the Dominican Republic is not being able to afford the extra expenses incurred from attending; uniforms, shoes, supplies, and sometimes “recess” and “special privileges” must all be purchased. At Makarios, each of our students is sponsored so their families are not burdened with the stress of having to pay for those things.
We are confident that the Lord is working through our staff at school to lead students in a way that breaks the cycle of poverty. We aim to raise them up to be successful and strong Christian leaders in their communities that make a lasting difference. |
