SANTO DOMINGO.- The member of the Political Committee of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and former secretary general, Charlie Mariotti, described as “an insult to the intelligence of Dominicans” the recent statements of the Minister of Education, Ángel Hernández, who attributed the low educational quality of the country to an alleged poor investment of resources of 4% during past governments.
Mariotti accused the current government of managing the educational system in an improvised way and focusing on politicking, instead of developing public policies that improve the quality of life of citizens. He highlighted that during the PLD governments, significant advances were achieved in education thanks to efficient administration of resources allocated to 4% of GDP.
Among the achievements achieved under the PLD administration, he mentioned the almost eradication of illiteracy, the universalization of primary education and notable advances in the coverage of early childhood and secondary education. He also highlighted the implementation of the Extended School Day, which not only extended teaching time, but also became one of the most important social protection policies in the country. In addition, he noted the construction of more than 20,000 school classrooms, doubling the educational infrastructure in eight years, and the review and modernization of the educational curriculum between 2013 and 2018, adapting it to international standards.
Rebuttal to the minister’s statements
The political leader described Ángel Hernández’s statements as “lies,” refuting that the PLD neglected key areas such as teacher training, the provision of pedagogical resources and the maintenance of educational centers. Mariotti pointed out that the PLD multiplied investment in teacher training by 42, implemented innovative programs such as teachers of excellence, and delivered textbooks with high standards of quality and transparency, in contrast to the current irregularities in the management of these resources.
Likewise, he criticized the deterioration of educational centers and the inability of the current government to finish more than 10,000 classrooms that were under construction during the PLD administration. He also accused the Minister of Education of using 4% resources in acts of political patronage, such as the “Bono a Mil” program.
Call for accountability
Mariotti called on the government to account for the more than 994 billion pesos administered in education since 2020. “This government has managed more resources in four years than those administered by the PLD between 2013 and 2019. The question is: Where has Has that investment gone to waste? Has it really had an impact on educational quality?” he questioned.
In his response, the former secretary general of the PLD concluded by stating that the educational achievements of the PLD governments are “undeniable and irrefutable” and urged society to demand transparency and concrete results in the management of resources allocated to the educational system.
