Inclusive education: More than 21 thousand students with disabilities integrated into the school system
The national education system has reached a significant milestone by currently having an enrollment of 21,600 students with disabilities. With the goal of continuing to promote inclusion, the Ministry of Education (MINERD) has set the target of integrating another 1,000 additional students during the current 2026-2027 school year.
Lucía Vásquez, National Director of Special Education, highlighted that the institution is in a constant process of expanding spaces and services. This effort seeks to ensure that every student, regardless of their condition, receives quality education under a framework of equal opportunities.
We aspire to include 1,000 more children this school year and we have the classrooms, the educational centers, and are opening more every day so that they can have access, can be included, and, above all, be incorporated into the educational system alongside the other students.
Lucía Vásquez, National Director of Special Education
Strategies for effective inclusion
To ensure the success of this process, the MINERD has implemented various pedagogical tools, among which the following stand out:
- Supply of educational materials with accessible formats.
- Adaptation of curricular content through specialized resource centers.
- Strengthening of school infrastructure to respond to specific learning needs.
Commitment to school attendance
The Director of Special Education made a direct appeal to Dominican families to ensure their children’s attendance in the classrooms. Likewise, she requested that parents report any obstacles, especially regarding school transportation.
Vásquez emphasized that the Ministry has the capacity to manage the inclusion of students in the available transport routes to prevent a lack of mobility from being an impediment to learning. The institutional premise is clear: no student should be left out of the educational system.
These statements were shared during the official opening ceremony of the 2026-2027 school year, which was led by President Luis Abinader and the Minister of Education, Luis Miguel De Camps, in the La Ureña sector, Santo Domingo Este.
