Education
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Scholarship & Cultural Exchange Program
Since 2011, Fundación Tropicalia has coordinated a Scholarship and Cultural Exchange Program with Instituto Superior de Agricultura University, or UISA, located in the municipality of Santiago de los Caballeros and specializing in agricultural sciences. The program targets young Micheros pursuing an undergraduate degree in careers that relate to the municipality’s economic development, including engineering degrees in agronomy, animal production and food technology, an education degree in natural sciences, or a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
In 2016, the program attracted a record number of applicants. Out of 16 candidates, the foundation selected three outstanding high school graduates who exhibited exceptional leadership potential and commitment to the community. All will benefit from work-study, cultural and professional support services, as well as exchange opportunities, on-campus counseling, and parent meetings in Miches.
Manuel Villa Reina and Marcia José Vásquez, awarded with the scholarship in 2011, successfully completed their undergraduate studies. Manuel graduated from UISA this year, while Marcia still needs to present her final thesis project. Fundación Tropicalia encourages scholarship students to return to their hometown and increase the number of professionals working in the agricultural sector.
All UISA students from Miches benefit from Fundación Tropicalia’s Professional and Cultural Exchange Initiative; the fifth such exchange in 2016 supports students on their academic and professional career paths. Twenty-five students visited the Esmeralda Farm, owned by the Rizek Group and Iocated in San Francisco de Macorís, and experienced the Cacao Trail to learn how cacao becomes chocolate.
Collectively,
our education programs
reach approximately
70% of Miches’
school district.
School Renovation & Maintenance Program
GRI 203-1
Sustainable economic development depends on the education of the local population. In Miches, where only 9.6% of the population has finished high school,8 education is crucial to lifting the community out of poverty. In 2016, Fundación Tropicalia celebrated the ninth anniversary of the School Renovation and Maintenance Program (PRyME), which brings together the education community of Miches to address administrative and infrastructure problems and help administrators repair and maintain their schools. Collectively, PRyME has supported 12 primary and secondary schools, 2,772 students and more than
130 teachers.
Fundación Tropicalia requires that schools provide counterpart funding or resources to encourage self-determination and independence.
PRyME Impact in 2016
La Gina School
Fundación Tropicalia supported the construction of the school’s waste storage facility, provided construction materials and hired local labor. Renovation and maintenance activities included the installation of an entrance gate and repair of the water cistern.
STUDENTS: 354
TEACHERS: 24
USD $4,000
75% Fundación Tropicalia, 25% La Gina School
TV Centro La Gina
Fundación Tropicalia supported painting walls and repairing bathrooms of this school, and provided painting materials.
STUDENTS: 229
TEACHERS: 11
USD $2,403
32% Fundación Tropicalia, 68% TV Centro La Gina
Hicaco Blanco School
Fundación Tropicalia supported the construction of the school’s waste storage facility and the repair of its bathrooms, which weren’t connected to the water pipeline system.
STUDENTS: 151
TEACHERS: 10
USD $2,205
49% Fundación Tropicalia, 51% Hicaco Blanco School
Primary School La Culebra
Fundación Tropicalia supported painting of interior and exterior walls, which had significantly deteriorated due to weather and other construction work on school grounds.
STUDENTS: 131
TEACHERS: 9
USD $1,304
60% Fundación Tropicalia, 40% Primary School La Culebra
TV Centro El Cedro
Construction work of this school started in 2013 and has not yet been finalized. Nevertheless, the community used these facilities in the 2015-2016 school year. Fundación Tropicalia, the school administration and a local association of school supporters worked together to complete the construction of a bathroom building (mostly plumbing work), install doors and windows in administrative offices, and finish the connection to the electrical grid.
STUDENTS: 107
TEACHERS: 7
USD $1,253
60% Fundación Tropicalia, 40% TV Centro El Cedro
Liceo Padre Daniel
Fundación Tropicalia repaired six bathrooms of the school’s new pavilion, provided construction materials and hired local labor. Walls were painted, interior doors installed, and lavatories connected to the water pipeline system.
STUDENTS: 662
TEACHERS: 23
USD $616
100% Fundación Tropicalia
Primary School Kilómetro 6
Fundación Tropicalia provided building materials and hired local labor for completely replacing the roof of the school’s administrative office, severely deteriorated because of humidity and water filtration. The replaced materials were recycled and used for the construction of a small warehouse and other installations.
STUDENTS: 180
TEACHERS: 7
USD $254
65% Fundación Tropicalia, 35% Primary School Km6
As for the remaining five schools in the PRyME network, Fundación Tropicalia continues to play an advisory role in maintenance, management, and academic processes.
In 2016, Fundación Tropicalia also hosted its seventh annual PRyME celebration. More than 200 guests gathered to commemorate the year’s work, recognize outstanding community leaders, and promote integration among the education community.
PRyME Impact in 2016
LA GINA SCHOOL
Fundación Tropicalia supported the construction of the school’s waste storage facility, provided construction materials and hired local labor. Renovation and maintenance activities included the installation of an entrance gate and repair of the water cistern.
75% Fundación Tropicalia, 25% La Gina School
TV CENTRO LA GINA
Fundación Tropicalia supported painting walls and repairing bathrooms of this school, and provided painting materials.
32% Fundación Tropicalia, 68% TV Centro La Gina
HICACO BLANCO SCHOOL
Fundación Tropicalia supported the construction of the school’s waste storage facility and the repair of its bathrooms, which weren’t connected to the water pipeline system.
49% Fundación Tropicalia, 51% Hicaco Blanco School
PRIMARY SCHOOL LA CULEBRA
Fundación Tropicalia supported painting of interior and exterior walls, which had significantly deteriorated due to weather and other construction work on school grounds.
60% Fundación Tropicalia, 40% Primary School La Culebra
TV CENTRO EL CEDRO
Construction work of this school started in 2013 and has not yet been finalized. Nevertheless, the community used these facilities in the 2015-2016 school year. Fundación Tropicalia, the school administration and a local association of school supporters worked together to complete the construction of a bathroom building (mostly plumbing work), install doors and windows in administrative offices, and finish the connection to the electrical grid.
60% Fundación Tropicalia, 40% TV Centro El Cedro
LICEO PADRE DANIEL
Fundación Tropicalia repaired six bathrooms of the school’s new pavilion, provided construction materials, and hired local labor. Walls were painted, interior doors installed, and lavatories connected to the water pipeline system.
100% Fundación Tropicalia
PRIMARY SCHOOL KILÓMETRO 6
Fundación Tropicalia provided building materials and hired local labor to completely replace the roof of the school’s administrative office, which was severely deteriorated due to humidity and water infiltration. The replaced materials were recycled and used for the construction of a small warehouse and other installations.
65% Fundación Tropicalia, 35% Primary School Km6
As for the remaining five schools in the PRyME network, Fundación Tropicalia continues to play an advisory role in maintenance, management, and academic processes.
In 2016, Fundación Tropicalia also hosted its seventh annual PRyME celebration. More than 200 guests gathered to commemorate the year’s work, recognize outstanding community leaders, and promote integration among the education community.
EDUCA Partnership
EDUCA (Business Action for Education), a national NGO located in Santo Domingo, was created by a group of businessmen concerned with the global competitiveness of the Dominican Republic. EDUCA is one of the most important influencers in education public policy at the national level; Fundación Tropicalia has been a member of EDUCA’s board of directors for four years. The NGO has provided ongoing technical advice and counsel on issues related to education in the Miches area.
In-School Education Program
In 2014, Fundación Tropicalia launched an In-School Education Program in Miches’ public schools to support students’ interest in the arts, develop and instill social skills, and promote critical and creative thinking. This year, the program focused on La Mina and Hicaco Blanco schools. With the development of more than 15 arts and crafts workshops, and the participation of more than 80% of the students in La Mina and 100% in Hicaco Blanco, the program has proved to be a major success.
IN-SCHOOL EDUCATION
PROGRAM IMPACT IN 2016
8 Ministerio de Educación (2014). Anuario de Indicadores Educativos. Año lectivo 2012-2013. Obtained from: http://www.minerd.gob.do/sitios/Planificacion/AnuariodeIndicadoresEducativosAnoLectivo2012-2013.pdf. Accessed January 2016.