The Ministry of Education Releases Educational System Rules for Harmonious Coexistence in Schools

The Ministry of Education Releases Educational System Rules for Harmonious Coexistence in Schools
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 09/23/2013

The Ministry of Education (MINERD in Spanish) launched the second edition of the Rules of the Dominican Educational System for Harmonious Coexistence in Private and Public Education Centers, with the goal of fortifying a peaceful culture in society and especially a peaceful coexistence in public and private schools.

Minerva Pérez de Díaz, director of Orientation and Psychology for MINERD who headed the presentation, saidthe rules respond to the mandate of articles 48 and 49 of the Code for the System of Protection of the Inalienable Rights of Children and Adolescents …

Minerva Pérez de Díaz, director of Orientation and Psychology for MINERD who headed the presentation, saidthe rules respond to the mandate of articles 48 and 49 of the Code for the System of Protection of the Inalienable Rights of Children and Adolescents from Law 136-06.

The law, she explained, establishes rules for discipline in school and calls for thecreation of rules to make the mandate operational, emphasizing the current norms in the code for children and adolescents.

Pérez also indicated that Article 50 of the afore-mentioned law establishes that MINERD is responsible for coordinating the administrative mechanisms of school discipline through the Directorate General of Orientation and Psychology.

She emphasized that MINERD, the National Council on Childhood and Adolescence (CONANI), with sponsorship from the Ibero-American Childhood Fund, and the help from the Chilean government, initiated its first stage of design. In 2011 the United National Children’s Fund (UNICEF) hired a consultancy to validate the Rules of the Dominican Educational System for Coexistence and Discipline in Private and Public Education Centers.

Likewise, María Jesús Conde, the country’s UNICEF representative, said the launching of these rules is a reason for celebration because they contribute to improving the quality of education that children and adolescents receive at their schools.

Also present at the MINERD’s presentation were Susana Michel, director of the education headquarters of the Institution of Private Education; Alberto Padilla, representing Kirsis Fernández, director of CONANI; Olga Espaillat, representing the Dominican Union of Private Educational Institutes; and Francisca Suero, director of the 15 Regional schools in Santo Domingo.

Also in attendance were regional directors, representatives of civil institutions and principals. Students from the Republic of ColombiaSchool sang the National Anthem while students from the Polytechnic Institute Cardenal Sancha showed their artwork.