Private sector and education

[NewsWhore]

Seven important private sector groups have released a document that takes a long hard look at Dominican education. The consensus is that the deficiency in the national educational system is the country's greatest problem. The seven associations pledged to join forces to tackle it. The National Council of Private Business (CONEP), the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Young Entrepreneurs Association (ANJE), the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), the group Action for Basic Education (EDUCA) and the Foundation for Institutionalism and Justice (FINJUS) have announced the celebration of a "Business Forum for Quality Education" to be held on 4 September. The idea is to create a social pact in which the private sector will get involved in improving the Dominican educational system. Their press release says that the group will also provide follow-up on the conclusions that were reached during the Presidential Forum for Educational Excellence that was held at the beginning of the year. According to the CONEP's Lisandro Macarrulla, the group will work closely with governmental institutions including the Ministry of Education and INFOTEP as well as international agencies. Christopher Paniagua, the AmCham president, told reporters that most private companies feel that the only way to successfully enter the global marketplace is to strengthen basic education.

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