Alert regarding the increase in foreign student enrollment in the Dominican public system
Investigative journalist Pamela Rojas has exposed a situation that has caused concern in various sectors of Dominican society: the significant increase in Haitian students in the country’s public schools. According to the data presented, this trend not only impacts the availability of spots for national students, but also represents a major financial challenge for the State.
Figures that mark a growing trend
According to the research shared by Rojas, the presence of foreign students in classrooms has experienced accelerated growth in recent years. While in the 2021-2022 school year there were approximately 118,000 students of Haitian origin, current figures exceed 205,000 students. The communicator highlighted that it has been necessary to perform independent data cross-referencing due to the difficulty of obtaining updated official statistics from the Ministry of Education (MINERD).
Economic impact on the education budget
The economic analysis presented underscores that the investment dedicated to the Haitian student population exceeds critical areas of public administration. Rojas emphasized that the cost allocated to this educational segment is higher than what the State invests in Dominican higher education.
Haitian students in our classrooms take away much more than what is invested in higher education in the country; more than 8% of the total budget of the Ministry of Education.
Pamela RojasIt is estimated that this expenditure represents more than 79 million dollars above the general budget allocated to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCYT).
Displacement and challenges for the local student
One of the most sensitive points of the complaint is the possible displacement of Dominican children from the public system. According to Rojas, the lack of spots has forced many local families to migrate to the private sector or rely on state subsidies. The journalist even pointed out having detected educational centers where the enrollment is composed entirely of foreign students.
- Average annual increase of 18,000 new foreign students.
- Presence of more than 30,000 Haitian adults in formal education programs.
- Lack of legal documentation or migratory regularization in a large part of the detected enrollment.
Call for public policy review
Rojas questioned the effectiveness of immigration and educational controls in light of these figures, urging authorities to take preventive measures. The communicator warned that, if this pace continues, the public system could face a demographic transformation that would fall directly on public finances, affecting the State’s ability to guarantee the right to education for its own citizens.
