Dominican Republic: MINERD hosts National Student Forum for a Culture of Peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from El Caribe (translation by CPNN)

The Ministry of Education (MINERD) is hosting this Tuesday [August 13], the National Student Forum for a Culture of Peace, within the framework of the Student Merit Recognition Program, in which 360 High School students come to reflect and analyze the different issues related to school life.

The educational activity, which this year has the motto: “Developing socio-emotional skills for citizenship and coexistence”, takes place from today until August 15 in the auditorium of the School of Evangelization John Paul II, under the responsibility of the Direction of Orientation and Psychology directed by Professor Minerva Pérez.

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Questions for this article:

What is the relation between peace and education?

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Secondary level students, 20 from each educational region, will develop debates about democracy and the construction of a new citizenship, with presentations on the problems that, in their opinion, could interfere with their training and integral development.

“In this interesting debate of ideas and considerations for a peaceful coexistence in the schools, the young people are assuming a leading role. They are committed to improving their lives, generating and discussing concrete proposals that contribute to the strengthening of a culture of peace in their respective educational campuses and communities,” explains the MINERD.

Methodology for student choice

The activities for the participation of the students in the forum, start from the first week of classes with the election of student councils, and close at the end of the year with the recognition of student effort and merit.

As part of the process, the educational and regional districts hold student congresses, where topics of interest to students are debated, proposals are made and those that best represent them are chosen. Subsequently, those students who will represent their regional team in the presentation of the proposals are selected.

The proposals developed during the forum will be included in a national proposal by a process of consensus. At the close of this forum, students are expected to present to the authorities the national proposal for a culture of peace that they will promote during the 2019-2020 school year, with a call to their peers to join their implementation and strategy “Schools for a culture of peace.”