Educational crisis in Ramón Santana: abandonment of school facilities reported
In the municipality of Ramón Santana, belonging to the province of San Pedro de Macorís, the educational community has raised its voice regarding the alarming situation facing two schools. Teaching leaders, parents, and community representatives have denounced that the reconstruction and improvement work at the Batey Jaguar Primary School and the María Hernández Educational Center remains unfinished after years of waiting, directly affecting the right to education of hundreds of students.
The ordeal at the María Hernández Educational Center
The community of El Soco is plunged into uncertainty. Although the infrastructure of the María Hernández Educational Center looks practically finished, the facility has not been officially handed over. This delay has forced the school year to begin in the old facilities, which present a marked student overpopulation that hinders the learning process.
We can’t take it anymore, we are fed up. We have been waiting for years for our school to be delivered.
El Soco Community Member
In addition to the building, residents are demanding the improvement of access roads. They report that, with any rain, the area becomes impassable due to the accumulation of mud and water, so they warn that they will not allow the transfer of students until the surroundings and the perimeter of the school are properly conditioned.
Latent risks at Batey Jaguar Primary School
The situation at the Batey Jaguar Primary School is described as critical. Raúl Pula, coordinator of the Fuerza Magisterial and president of the local branch of the Dominican Association of Teachers (ADP), pointed out that this center has been under intervention since 2013 without its delivery having been completed to date.
- Classrooms lacking doors and windows, leaving children exposed to the elements.
- Unfinished plumbing work and the presence of dangerous trenches.
- Construction materials and exposed rebar that put the physical integrity of students at risk.
- An entrance gate precariously supported on blocks.
- An open septic tank that represents a constant source of danger.
For her part, Amarilis Hernández, representative of the Association of Parents, Mothers, Guardians, and Friends of the School (APMAE), described the scenario as chaotic. Both teachers and parents have made an urgent call to the Ministry of Education to prioritize the completion of these works, allowing the students of Ramón Santana to receive instruction in an environment that is dignified, safe, and suitable for their academic development.
