He Educational Center Founding Fathersin the Monte de los Olivos sector, has been training for three years children primary school on land that was used for animal husbandry in Guerra, Santo Domingo Este.
Between the lack of bathrooms, furniture, teaching staff and basic services, such as electricitywhich is donated by the pastor of a church in the community605 students They receive teaching from kindergarten to sixth grade in 19 sessions covered by 13 teachers.
This center emerged in 2021 on the initiative of the teacher of the community Niurka Peña, who now serves as directordespite not being appointed to the public education system. She has achieved this with the support of other colleagues, who began teaching some of them to read and write. children from the area in their own premises.
Beatriz Jiménez, Aleja De la Cruz, Ramona Báez, Isaura Martínez and Minerva Núñez dedicated themselves to teaching the children of the community. To date, they work voluntarily and without receiving any salary or appointments, according to Peña.
How did it go from one farm to a academy?
As the number of inhabitants on the Mount of Olives increased, more children were sent to the small premises where the center initially operated. It is when the director goes to the educational district and formalizes the school, with an enrollment of approximately 75 students.
He subsequently requested the Special Fund for the Agricultural Development (FEDA) to lend him a plot of land located in the communitywhich functioned as a farmto build the study center.
The communitythe church and other schools donated furniture and they collaborated with the adaptation of the ships where animals were previously raised and are now used as classroomswhich are separated by small walls, leaving the living room practically exposed.
Currently, the school does not operate on extended hours due to lack of teachers. Peña said that just last year he was assigned a budget of approximately 175,000 pesos with which they were able to acquire seats and blackboards, paint the classrooms and to recondition some areas. However, they have not received the 300,000 pesos budgeted for this school year.
The site has improved its condition, but still has difficulties. dining room It works in another of the ships, and due to its size the students They must take turns eating lunch.
There is only one bathroom available for the studentsand although the lunch school has provided coverage to 95% of schools, according to the National Institute of Student Welfare (Inabie), this one still does not receive it.
The director ask the Ministry of Education (Minerd) that adapts the premises, provides furniture and school transportation, build laboratories and supply the lack of teachers.
Teachers without appointment
Although the school is listed in the extended day modality, due to the lack of teachers It was necessary to divide teaching into two schedules: morning and evening classes, to meet the needs of all students. Even so, they cannot cope.
The director complains that since the school was founded they have requested teachers to the school district and to Minerdas well as the appointments of the five professors who initiated the project, including herself. They have not received a reply to the latter.
Some of the teachers tried to participate in the competitions teachers oppositionbut they could not due to discrepancies in the direction of residence current and the one recorded on the identity card.
Last year they provided six teachers, which brought the total to 12, and for this period they promised 11, of which they have only sent one. Peña also commented that there are subjects in the school curriculum that they have not been able to teach due to this situation.
For its part, the Ministry of Education said to Free Newspaper that the teaching staff of the center was proposed by the district and the communitybecause in this district there is no teachers in the bank of eligible candidates at the primary level, so they are evaluating meeting the needs with teachers from the nearest district.
