Essay On The Dominican Republic Education System

Education in the Dominican Republic Having an established educational system is crucial to the development of any country as it creates opportunities for children and teens to prosper and be a successful part of the future. In the Dominican Republic, primary and secondary education are the building blocks that create a foundation for future advancement, while higher level education, such as a university or trade school, can provide students with a degree or specialty that allow them to advance in their field. The education system in the Dominican Republic is similar to that of other countries, such as the United States. However, unlike the United States’ budget that allots $68 billion towards education, the Dominican Republic’s budget only

Secondary school in the Dominican Republic is the equivalent of high school in the United States. Students can receive a secondary education within four years, usually between the ages of 14 and 18. While the first two years of secondary school are based upon the core subjects, the second two years allow students to focus on a vocational education. Just as the United States has “govenor school” or “IB” programs for high school students, the Dominican Republic provides students with a vocational education which prepares them for entry into the workforce if they choose not to pursue a college path. The technical track teaches students primarily about industry and agriculture while the arts track provides students with an education on music, photography, or performance. Despite the opportunity that secondary school provides, many students choose not to attend. In the U.S., it is compulsory that children attend secondary school, however, this policy is not enforced in the Dominican Republic, therefore many children stop going after they turn 14 years old. Additionally, U.S. students have a more thorough educational foundation to build on, but Dominican students usually cease to be involved in schooling after primary school due to lack of resources. Research shows that 80 percent of Dominican students graduate from primary school, but

According to data collected by World Education News and Reviews, “the participation rate of 29.1 percent among all college-age citizens…represents significant enrollment growth over the last 30 years.” However, it is also found that many students enter the university underprepared, which causes about 50% of the students within the 29.1% to drop out. Students are underprepared because, as mentioned earlier, excessive poverty levels downgrade academic performance of students from a young age. In addition, the reasoning behind the weak educational system in the Dominican Republic is low levels of spending and low levels of education for the teachers. This results in a small budget and, in general, reduced education. Of the 36 major universities in the Dominican Republic, the only public school is the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo. Approximately 170,000 students are enrolled at this university and go to classes on a rotating basis. Classes can be any day between Monday and Saturday and students can study several different Bachelors, Masters, and PhD programs. Each student pays approximately RD $42,125 per year, which is $891.19 USD. One student enrolled at this university, Candy, is studying medicine to become a surgeon. When asked about the university itself, she said, “it’s really good, one of the best, the problem is