Dominican Republic

The Plan Decenal addresses inclusion of the nonformal programs and informal branches of the educational scheme (e.g., adult education, literacy, and vocational training). Special education is no longer isolated from traditional school programs, and there are interphasing links between the nonformal education network and the normal academic program. Total enrollment in adult education is 129,132, with literacy programs consisting of 42,132 students taught by 14,557 professionals in 669 night school centers. These classes are based on the ABCD Espanol Program.

Literacy and basic education is being expanded by use of radio and television transmissions to more isolated rural areas. Educational radio programs are offered in classes for grades one through eight. A new educational TV system is being installed for use in rural zones. This project, with funding from UNESCO, will transmit programs via a satellite signal from Mexico. New technology that will be implemented in the near future also includes establishing 500 new school computer centers and the creation of virtual classrooms.

All artistic institutions and training centers are financed and regulated from the Direccion de Bellas Artes (Direction of Fine Arts), a division of SEEC. Art and performing arts academies include Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts) in the San Francisco de Macoris; Escuela de Artes Plasticas (School of Plastic Arts) and the Instituto de Cultura y Artes (Institute of Culture and Art) in Santiago; Acadimia Dominicana de Musica (Music Academy), the Conservatorio Nacional de Musica (National Conservatory of Music), the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts), and the Escuela de Arte Dramatico (School of Drama) in Santo Domingo. The Altos de Chavsn School of Design, a Dominican institution located in La Romana and run by a U.S. foundation, has been affiliated with the Parsons School of Design, a division of New School University in New York City, for 20 years. By graduating more than 800 students, largely Dominican, the school has added a significant Dominican presence to the international design world. More than 200 of the graduates have gone on to study at the Parsons School of Design in New York. Another school of design exists in San Juan de la Maguana.

At present there are two open universities in the Dominican Republic, both of which base their curriculum on andragogical teaching methodology: the Universidad para la Tercera Edad (UTE) and the Universidad Abierta para Adultos (UAPA). Neither university offers online classes at this time.