Educational crisis in Santiago: Nearly 100 special education students remain out of the classroom
Three weeks into the school year in the Dominican Republic, uncertainty has gripped dozens of families in Santiago. The Génesis Special Education Center, located in the Las Américas neighborhood, remains closed, leaving nearly a hundred students without access to education and the therapeutic support they require for their development.
The director of the center, María Ureña, explained that the institution is in an administrative limbo. Although they operated under a loan arrangement at another school during the previous academic year, the increase in enrollment at that facility forced them to vacate the space. Currently, despite having identified a location, the authorities have yet to grant the necessary permits to resume academic activities.
An urgent call for inclusion and autonomy
Teacher Erysmel Guzmán emphasized that this program is vital for students who, due to their particular conditions, cannot find a place in the traditional educational system. The center’s approach focuses on daily living skills and technical training, essential tools for these young people to reach optimal levels of autonomy.
The children are excited to receive the bread of education. Parents are experiencing moments of anxiety because their children constantly ask when they will be able to return to school.
María Ureña, Director of the Génesis Special Education Center
Families demand solutions in the face of bureaucracy
Parents, who have witnessed their children’s significant progress since joining the program, have raised their voices to request the immediate intervention of the Ministry of Education and President Luis Abinader. Gisel Rodríguez, a student’s mother, recounted how her son managed to learn to write thanks to this center, a progress he had not achieved in previous years.
Discontent is growing as it becomes known that the delay could be linked to an alleged institutional conflict between the Ministry of Education and the Blind Foundation. According to sources close to the center, these administrative differences are directly affecting the student population, who are the most harmed by the lack of agreements.
Key points of the situation
- Almost 100 special education students remain at home without receiving instruction.
- The Génesis Special Education Center lacks an operational facility after its temporary agreement at another educational center ended.
- Mothers report symptoms of anxiety, boredom, and despair in their children due to the lack of a school routine.
- The educational community rejects that administrative conflicts between institutions affect the fundamental right of young people to education.
The educational community of Santiago hopes that the competent authorities will prioritize the well-being of these adolescents, guaranteeing a dignified and safe space where they can continue their training and achieve the greatest possible independence in their daily lives.
