Government launches National Literacy Plan
Diario Libre
SANTO DOMINGO. The government launched yesterday the National Literacy Plan: "Quisqueya learns with you," where some 25,000 facilitators (volunteers), together with the Decree 546-12 which declares that learning is a fundamental human right for persons 15 years of age or older.
In the decree, the National Literacy Board is constituted, made up of 18 public institutions and a technical team, which will take charge of promoting a widespread participation in the plan from all of the national sectors, as well as having the responsibility of the organizational, pedagogical and operational aspects.
The authorities want to teach 727,000 Dominicans to read and write over two years, with the hope that on 8 September 2014 the United Nations Organization for Science, Education and Culture (Unesco) will declare the country "free of illiteracy."
Of these persons, 45.5% live in urban areas while the rest (54.5%) are rural residents. The community of El Valle, San Juan de la Maguana, is the place with the highest illiteracy rate at 24%.
The preliminary work schedule says that on 30 September, the national organizations that were foreseen will be completed and the printing and preparation of the teaching materials will be finished.
Start on 7 January
During the rest of this year, they will work on the organization and the coordination and it is estimated that on 7 January 2013 they will begin the literacy circles all over the national territory.
The President
During the act, held in the Caryatides Salon of the Presidential Palace, the President, Danilo Medina, said that justice is the basis of peace and to teach literacy, is to do justice.
"To teach how to read and write is a way of contributing to equality, inclusion and with these, the peace in the world. As we said during the election campaign: the education is the other name of liberty," he underlined.
The President recognized that the resources of the state are limited and that this "forces us, of course, to prioritize the quality social investment," that traditionally has been under the average standards of the Americas.
Nevertheless, he said that the people can be sure that the economic difficulties are not going to be paid by sacrificing the most vulnerable, postponing the satisfaction of their most elemental necessities.
Medina said that literacy in persons over 15 is an undeferrable debt of society, because as he understands it not knowing how to read and write is a way of reproducing poverty, social exclusion and misery.
"We will tighten our belts in other areas of public expenditures, while we advance in the fiscal reform, but never for sacrificing the rights of the citizens," he said.
He took advantage of the occasion to invite the political parties, the churches, businessmen, tourist sector, and other to take part in this crusade which in his judgment will take the Dominican Republic to be declared and recognized by everyone as a "territory free of illiteracy."
The President indicated that the National Literacy Plan is part of a greater effort of social transformation which he began to work on two years ago, but which was strengthened during the transition process.
Accompanied by the Vice President Margarita Cedeño de Fernandez and Candida Montilla de Medina, his wife, the First Lady of the Republic, and other officials, the President explained that the literacy students will receive technical and financial support so that they can develop either self-employment or start-up businesses, as well as their inclusion in the program "Progresando con Solaridad."
Medina made it clear that the government will provide the basic resources, and will insure the availability of opportunities for organization and training within the corresponding programs.
"We will organize boards of "Quisqueya Learns With You" in each province and in each city; in each company. We will make up an immense network of love and solidarity that will cover the national territory. We will show the world our determination," the President added.
In the decree, the National Literacy Board is constituted, made up of 18 public institutions and a technical team, which will take charge of promoting a widespread participation in the plan from all of the national sectors, as well as having the responsibility of the organizational, pedagogical and operational aspects.
The authorities want to teach 727,000 Dominicans to read and write over two years, with the hope that on 8 September 2014 the United Nations Organization for Science, Education and Culture (Unesco) will declare the country "free of illiteracy."
Of these persons, 45.5% live in urban areas while the rest (54.5%) are rural residents. The community of El Valle, San Juan de la Maguana, is the place with the highest illiteracy rate at 24%.
The preliminary work schedule says that on 30 September, the national organizations that were foreseen will be completed and the printing and preparation of the teaching materials will be finished.
Start on 7 January
During the rest of this year, they will work on the organization and the coordination and it is estimated that on 7 January 2013 they will begin the literacy circles all over the national territory.
The President
During the act, held in the Caryatides Salon of the Presidential Palace, the President, Danilo Medina, said that justice is the basis of peace and to teach literacy, is to do justice.
"To teach how to read and write is a way of contributing to equality, inclusion and with these, the peace in the world. As we said during the election campaign: the education is the other name of liberty," he underlined.
The President recognized that the resources of the state are limited and that this "forces us, of course, to prioritize the quality social investment," that traditionally has been under the average standards of the Americas.
Nevertheless, he said that the people can be sure that the economic difficulties are not going to be paid by sacrificing the most vulnerable, postponing the satisfaction of their most elemental necessities.
Medina said that literacy in persons over 15 is an undeferrable debt of society, because as he understands it not knowing how to read and write is a way of reproducing poverty, social exclusion and misery.
"We will tighten our belts in other areas of public expenditures, while we advance in the fiscal reform, but never for sacrificing the rights of the citizens," he said.
He took advantage of the occasion to invite the political parties, the churches, businessmen, tourist sector, and other to take part in this crusade which in his judgment will take the Dominican Republic to be declared and recognized by everyone as a "territory free of illiteracy."
The President indicated that the National Literacy Plan is part of a greater effort of social transformation which he began to work on two years ago, but which was strengthened during the transition process.
Accompanied by the Vice President Margarita Cedeño de Fernandez and Candida Montilla de Medina, his wife, the First Lady of the Republic, and other officials, the President explained that the literacy students will receive technical and financial support so that they can develop either self-employment or start-up businesses, as well as their inclusion in the program "Progresando con Solaridad."
Medina made it clear that the government will provide the basic resources, and will insure the availability of opportunities for organization and training within the corresponding programs.
"We will organize boards of "Quisqueya Learns With You" in each province and in each city; in each company. We will make up an immense network of love and solidarity that will cover the national territory. We will show the world our determination," the President added.
Diario Libre
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