Fuerza del Pueblo demands greater investment and transparency in education for neurodivergent students
The Secretariat of Neurodiversity and Inclusion of the Fuerza del Pueblo party has raised its voice regarding the start of the 2026-2027 school year, demanding concrete actions and real investment from the Dominican Government to guarantee the right to education for neurodivergent students. Faced with the announcement of millions in funds allocated to various educational programs, the political organization questions the real impact of these resources on the segment of the population with special needs.
Maxi Feliz, head of said secretariat and a renowned advocate for the rights of neurodivergent individuals, urged the Ministry of Education (MINERD) to make its budget execution transparent. The leader pointed out that, although progress is reported in addressing enrollment requests and granting vouchers, uncertainty persists regarding how many children and adolescents are still waiting for a school environment that truly meets their specific needs.
The challenge of true inclusion
Feliz emphasized that inclusion goes far beyond granting a spot in just any classroom. According to the Fuerza del Pueblo representative, the system must focus on quality and specialized support:
A quota is not inclusion. Placing a child in any classroom just to add them to a statistic does not guarantee their right to education. There are students who need trained personnel, accommodations, educational support, and environments capable of responding to their needs in order to remain, learn, and develop.
Maxi Feliz, Secretariat of Neurodiversity and Inclusion of the FP.
Key demands for the community
The political organization has raised a series of fundamental questions and demands for the Ministry of Education, stressing that investment should not be limited solely to school supplies:
- Transparency in the figures: Clarity on how many neurodivergent students have been successfully served and how many remain outside the system.
- Infrastructure and training: Prioritize the creation of adapted spaces and specialized teacher training instead of focusing only on basic supplies.
- Law 34-23: Demand the necessary budget for the effective implementation of the Law for the Care, Inclusion, and Protection of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Equity in support: Question why the State can fund spots in private centers for thousands of students, but has not designed a concrete and massive plan for neurodivergent children who still find no response.
Finally, the Fuerza del Pueblo called for integrating neurodiversity from the very design of any new educational model. For the party, Dominican education cannot speak of transformation if it does not contemplate, from its initial planning, the infrastructure and support necessary for a real, sustainable, and funded integration.
