Obviously, DR has great aspirations for emerging from near-bottom into a higher status world society position more closely associated with 1st world countries. Certainly that is a feat that could not be achieved without obligatory improvements in educational level.

As a nation, we must undertake a full commitment to understanding the shortcomings of the system in place, relative to natural benchmarks in the plateaus we aim to reach. Realistic goals must be set, and we must endeavor not to sacrifice yet another generation of future entrepreneurs, educators, political leaders, etc. We must establish bench-marks relative to the critical few in our hemisphere: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica and Cuba. Our aim must clearly be to attain par level with their educational status in one decade, then leapfrog them. Beyond that achievement, aiming for the sky could not be high enough.

We must all comprehend that emergence from our 3rd world status could only come through education, integrity and forward thinking. With those tools in hand, and our great endowment with natural beauty, strategic location and other resources, everything else should follow.

We must eschew divisive racial differences and understand that we are one people, and work for the betterment of all Dominicans, regardless of race, creed or sex. While we are relatively a small country, success and size are not mutually exclusive, since small countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Luxembourg would contradict that theory. Our aim must be not only to achieve similarly but to exceed. Certainly, without material improvement to our educational opportunities this wouldn't be an attainable goal.

I don't intend for this thread to be a source of whining and complaining. Rather, I would like to employ this opportunity to understand the failings of the present Dominican educational system, so we could have a common point of reference, then formulate action plans and platforms from which to move forth. Our actions do not necessarily have to involve government and we must definitely consider empowerment of the people and grassroots actions to overcome. I would advocate what I would call "The Dominican Academy", consisting of a corp of professional volunteers who would donate their time to bridge the gap left by our government, with the fully understood knowledge of our aim to become par with the bench-marked countries in one decade. I believe this is possible.

My personal background is in scientific research and engineering and not in education, so I come into this endeavor with a fundamental lack of knowledge, and perhaps that is good; I also come into this with an open mind and a full desire to attain set goals.

I invite all of you to participate, bring your ideas and knowledge and strong desire to redress this regrettably sad situation, and to bring opportunity to the masses and real prosperity to our country. My preference would be for the process to be constructive and not to dwell on the politics and to remain ever mindful of the fact that we could be empowered as a people and bring about positive change, and even force the government to change its wicked ways and mind the store and realize that we could achieve great heights as a nation, if we are well-educated and competitive.

I look forward to your constructive and valuable input with great anticipation and hope we could unite to become a force to be reckoned with, having combined strengths of a 200 mph hurricane, an 8-Richter Scale earthquake and a devastating tornado. I believe this would be possible and, yes, we could change our mindset, system and government and achieve meaningful success and improve our quality of life and position in the world.

Please contribute and be respectful of differing views.

Thank you for your participation in this most important issue.

Gloma

Now more than ever I admire your courage and intentions. Education is a topic I'm always eager to discuss and share what I know from the local knowledge that I have about education in DR. I personally have been one of those who has read just about every law and regulation in DR that relates to education and I can say that our system is designed to be close and exclusive to some for the simple fact that those needing it simply don't have the education and monetary power to stand up. Is not they don't care is more that they are fighting against a powerful force with very little to start. I have said it here before and I will say it again WE the ones who actually have gone through and are not in a position to be missing any meals any time soon have the power to come together to turn DR into what we wish the last generation should have done but it has been left to us to figure it out. I'm a young man with lots of desire to improve DR with everything I can and have many time said here that I'm always more than willing to come together because diaspora of DR has a lot of power there but we simply have not used to improve the country. If there is anything I can do then you can count on me and I hope others follow your lead. Once again I admire your courage and hope other Dominicans in your position learn to see it like you have.

Belly,

Thank you very much for kind comments.

Given the breadth of your experience on this subject, I am very appreciative of your reply and look forward to you expanding further upon your comments and enumerating some of the critical issues you are familiar with.

I would like to wind up with at least a "top ten" list of issues we need to address and action plans, as my goal is not really to vent, but to become empowered to take constructive actions to redress them.

Again, thanks.

You are very right about the education level in DR. I think we should start by kicking the corrupt B8stards in charge. What can we do about the powerful burgoise? Im sure they would do anything possible to keep the rest of the populace in an ignoramus state.

i witnessed an incident yeaterday that really set my mind to wondering. i was in a supermarket parking lot, and a young man brought his dog with him. because he could not take it into the store with him, he tethered it to a water pipe at the wall of the lot, and went inside. a few moments passed, and the head security guard saw the animal, and asked me if i was the owner. i replied that i was not, and told him that the guy had gone inside. a few moments later, he came back with another security guard, armed with a shotgun, who was pointing it at the dog, all the while muttering about ¨me voy a tirar ese perro¨ the dog, meanwhile, was in a complete state of tranquil repose, bothering no one. i began to wonder what kind of schooling and socialisation could produce two primitives like these. also, i wondered about the kind of individual that would hire such neanderthals, and put deadly weapon in their hands. then, i thought about the education system. you can finish the rest of the post, as i guess you get the idea.

Great subject, glomar, and one that I hope will attract many creative ideas. My response today will be short and focused, and I will elaborate more and will participate as the days and weeks ahead.
This will be the first of my several contributions.
The way I see it in our own microscom in the cyberspace of DT, is a present photograph of the uphill battle that challenges us.
Before we can educate we have to be certain that the children, teenagers and adults have their bellies full of nutritional, non starchy foods, that can make a contribution to improving attention spans. This is first and utmost. They also have to be educated on the dangers of drug consumption, including legal ones such as alcohol, and their use in moderation.
Loads of beer and rum are injected into political rallies, public events, driving, and this party atmosphere
continues with binge eating of the most harmful foods that damage your body and impair clear thinking.
Even in DT there are specialty threads to promote this type of negative and harmful social customs that set us back to colonial times.
Excess and bacchanalia type drinking orgies in the weekend and most holidays including Sunday, are the norm and custom of Dominicans, severely affecting and influencing productivity, job attendance as well as social gatherings.
Parents, teachers, "responsible adults", politicians and father figures, all partake in this continuous and never ending party and further encourage their bingeing, by that type of negative behavior pattern.

professor, you have said a mouthful in very few words. i also wonder what kind of children can be reared by all these guys who are one their second and third presidente grande by 10.30 am, and dancing in these clubs by 11. what that is supposed to be defies my comprehension. parents like those will never be able to explain to their children the merits of a rounded education. never.

We must admit the fact that more alcohol is consumed in DR than milk, and it has been this way for many years. Not being in denial or getting upset for someone telling us that drinking in excess is a harmful habit, is part of the growing up process, and a start for moderation.
In England there is a historical reference to cheap available liquor that caused the "gin wars" and the upheaval in that society.

Also parents spend more money on alcohol than school supplies and education and the even worse is more time is spend at a local bar than time spend helping kids with school related work. Parents play a huge roll in kids education so at this time both government and parents are horribly failing so the child failing is the evidence we have today.

Belly, you made a telling statement there. too many parents do spend too much money on presidente, and too little on a good book for their kids to read. this is a land of INSTANT gratification. a guy will have a motorcycle with no lights, because the bulbs are blown. they cost all of 20 pesos. but he will not replace them, because he ¨has no money ¨. but, he will go to the rancho tipico and drink 3 beers, dance with a girl all night, then get back on a vehicle which imperils his life, and the lives of others in the environs. that , my friends, is called irresponsibility.