ADP in Santiago warns of possible teacher strikes due to lack of solutions
The Dominican Association of Teachers (ADP) in Santiago has raised the tone of its demands to educational authorities. The union warned this Friday that, if they do not receive concrete responses regarding the completion and repair of various schools in the province, they will initiate a calendar of staggered strikes that could lead to an indefinite suspension of classes.
José Alberto Brito Brito, president of the Santiago Oeste branch, led a mobilization day that included a march through the streets of the district. During the activity, teachers expressed their rejection of the current conditions of school infrastructure, which, according to the union, negatively impact the learning of thousands of students.
Protest actions and affected centers
The teacher union leader announced that an assembly will be held next week to define the next steps. Among the measures being considered are:
- 24-hour teaching strikes initially.
- Escalation to 48-hour work stoppages.
- Suspension of activities indefinitely if the lack of official response persists.
The situation is critical in several schools. Brito Brito pointed out that in the Rafaela Jiminian school alone, 800 students are affected, while another 2,000 students are suffering the consequences of the deterioration in various centers in Cienfuegos Abajo, La Verja Perimetral, as well as the Doctora Teresa Peña, Silverio, and Carmelo Sandoval schools.
It is a disgrace that our students have started the school year unable to attend their centers normally due to pending reconstructions and the evident deterioration of the facilities.
Miguel Jorge, president of the ADP in Santiago
Demands and upcoming mobilizations
Miguel Jorge, president of the ADP in Santiago, joined the protest day alongside residents of Cienfuegos Suroeste, demanding the immediate completion of work at the Enma Balaguer and Rafaela Jiminian educational centers. Jorge questioned the management of resources allocated to the educational system, emphasizing that the mobilizations will not cease until the authorities comply with the agreed-upon terms.
As part of the protest agenda, the union called for a “honk-in” this Friday afternoon in front of the Camboya school, with the goal of pushing for the construction of a new facility in the Rosario Sánchez sector. These actions reflect the growing tension in the Santiago educational community, where school infrastructure remains the central point of the teachers’ demands so far this school year.
