Protesters demand completion of Santiago school renovations

Parents, teachers, and community leaders in Santiago, Dominican Republic, are protesting the stalled reconstruction of the Rafaela Jiminián school, which has left over 800 students without classes. Demonstrators have chained themselves to the school gates, held vigils, and celebrated masses to demand that the Ministry of Education (Minerd) complete the work. Source: elcaribedr Source: diariolibree

The protest

In Cienfuegos, Santiago Oeste, Pastor Pablo Ureña chained himself in front of the school, denouncing the abandonment of renovation works. "This is an abuse, a gross neglect by the authorities," he said. Source: elcaribedr Teachers have been forced to hold classes in the schoolyard under trees, as the building lacks basic facilities. "We are tied hand and foot... We don't even have bathrooms to use," said teacher Marisol Félix. Source: diariolibree

Scope of the problem

Approximately 12 schools in Santiago failed to start the academic year due to deterioration or unfinished renovations. Source: elcaribedr The Rafaela Jiminián school was evacuated on May 22, 2025, due to structural issues, yet the work is less than 20% complete. Source: diariolibree José Alberto Brito, president of the ADP in Santiago Oeste, called the abandonment "savagery" and noted that 224 students attend the Ramón Dubert Novo polytechnic and 634 at Rafael Ramos Mercado. Source: elcaribedr Source: diariolibree

Demands and next steps

Protesters demand that President Luis Abinader and education authorities intervene personally. They threaten to continue protests if no concrete date is set for the return of students. Source: diariolibree While Minerd has promised to fix the issues, work progresses slowly. Source: elcaribedr