Haitian student enrollment in Dominican schools rises 716%

Haitian student enrollment in Dominican Republic schools grew 716% between 2007-2008 and 2024-2025, according to official data from the Ministry of Education (Minerd), rising from 25,158 to 205,369 students Source: Diario Libre. Senator Omar Fernández cited these figures to warn of growing pressure on the public education system, noting that while over 180,000 Haitian students were added, 141,500 Dominican students left the classrooms Source: El Día.

The dispute

The Ministry of Education, led by Luis Miguel De Camps, disputes Fernández's framing. Officials argue that the 716% increase includes private and semi-official schools, not just public ones. In 2024-2025, of the 205,369 Haitian students, 164,070 were in public schools, 40,620 in private, and 679 in semi-official centers Source: Diario Libre. However, even when considering only public schools, Haitian enrollment grew from 22,896 to 164,070, a 617% increase Source: Diario Libre.

The reaction

Fernández insists the numbers reflect a migration policy failure, emphasizing that the constitution's right to education does not preclude border control. He also criticized a government program using vouchers to place students in private schools, saying the number of students without a spot has tripled in three years Source: El Día. The Ministry counters that Fernández is mixing "pears with apples" by using system-wide data to discuss public schools Source: Diario Libre.