SANTO DOMINGO – National and international test scores in the Dominican Republic fell short of expectations, according to a report released Thursday by the NGO Business Action for Education (EDUCA).
In the third Regional Comparative Survey (TERCER), the country again recorded the lowest score among 15 Latin American and Caribbean countries.
“However, compared to previous tests, it was the country that made the greatest progress,” the report said.
Furthermore, the report, “Dominican Republic Educational Progress 2015. Determined to Improve,” states that the country has shown a sustained trend of improvement, making progress across all levels of education.
Primary and secondary education not meeting targets
The report said that while the net coverage rate at the primary level was 95 percent, “the net coverage rates at the early (three to five years) and secondary levels were 37 percent and 64 percent, respectively, still below the national target.”
“Progress has also been sustained in tertiary education, with gross enrolment rates increasing from 31 percent in 2001 to 45.5 percent in 2014, albeit with a disproportionate bias towards women and urban residents,” the report said.
It adds that more students are choosing to stay in school and this is improving at a faster pace in primary schools than in secondary schools, and that “from year 7 onwards the education system begins to lose its capacity to retain students, so factors such as grade repetition and over-representation must be addressed”.
