Educational System Must be Transformed According to its Cultural Realities Say Top Dominican Educators

The Executive Director of the International Advisory Committee of Science and Technology (CIACT), Ambassador José Santana; the Dean of the School of Education of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), Evarista Matías, and the Executive Director of the Propagas Foundation, Claudia Catrain, called for the improvement of the Dominican education system according to Dominican realities, but take into account the experience of successful education systems, such as the
one in place in Finland.

The educators, amongst the top in the DR, were speaking after the screening of the film "The Finnish phenomenon: The world”s most amazing school system," at FUNGLODE headquarters, which shows why Finland has an unrivalled education system widely considered to be among the best in the world for more than a decade.

This educational film series was organized by The Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), through their Center for Educational Studies, and with the support of the International Advisory Committee of Science and
Technology of the Dominican Republic (CIACT).

CIACT Director, José Santana, said that the Dominican Republic has the ability to reflect based on its own culture, as each country lives its own reality. "It is not necessary to copy the Finnish educational system, but to create a Dominican system with better results, one that satisfies the needs of the country," he said. "Only when we assume our roots from a cultural standpoint we will be able to
focus on an educational system that is real and authentic," he continued.

He stated that the country possesses a lot of intelligence and the capacity for making great contributions to the world. "We have three Dominican astronauts and an archaeologist searching for Cleopatra’s tomb," he added.

He predicted that if there is no investment in scientific and technological research in the country, no development will be
achieved. "There is no developed country in the world that has achieved a great deal of success without investing in scientific and technological research," he said.

The Executive Director of the Propagas Foundation, Claudia Catrain, considered that the experiences of other countries, as is the case with Finland, let us see what can be improved in the Dominican educational system. She said that one should begin by renewing the curriculum in a way that it
creates not only more competitive people, but also people who are happier, more dignified and seeking equality. She asseted that no educational process, and no development process, can be achieved without human dignity.

To the Dean of the School of Education of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), Evarista Matías, "a good teacher training is the combination of theory and practice."

Referring to what is being done in the
country with regard to teacher training, she said that an agreement has been signed for the UASD to install three educational centers in its campuses designed to prepare teachers for the elementary, middle and high school levels, which means that they will go from theory to practice.

Finland noted that it took them 25 years to create confidence in their education system, between teachers and students, and considered that "it may take the country some 50 years,
but that the will is there."

Yamile Eusebio, Director of Training Activities at FUNGLODE, moderated the Cineforum. She said that the country has an opportunity to improve but on the basis of trust, a value that was highlighted in the Finish documentary."We must first rely on ourselves and then on the people around us, our teachers, our leaders and they must trust us as well, so that things can change," she said.

She also
stressed how difficult it was to  even become a teacher in Finland, as only 10% succeed  due to the high standards of their educational system.