The Ministers of the Presidency, Joel Santos, and of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Franklin García Fermín, led the investiture of some 16,000 students on Wednesday at the 19th Graduation of the English Immersion Program for Competitiveness, 4,000 more than in 2022.
With the graduation, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Mescyt), makes available to the country this impressive number of young English speakers, prepared to positively impact the integral development of the Dominican nation.
During the ceremony, the Minister of the Presidency, on behalf of President Luis Abinader, extended his congratulations to the graduates and assured that the Government will continue to support this program because it improves productivity, helps to get out of poverty and helps the most needy areas.
Santos urged the graduates to continue their education and to take advantage of the opportunities that are opening up in sectors such as tourism and free zones. “Young people, take control of your lives.”
He expressed that these young people have taken a transcendental step in their lives and that this training will allow them to maximize opportunities in an increasingly competitive world.
For his part, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology stressed that the English Immersion Program provides training in values and high levels of discipline, linked to the bilingualism policy promoted by President Abinader, with the purpose of better understanding international markets and the need for inclusion in all productive sectors, thus guaranteeing the achievement of competitiveness.
“This graduation ceremony is a tangible demonstration of the quality of the work carried out by this State institution to provide young people with excellent language skills with a communicative approach, to increase their professional quality and cultural heritage, in addition to enhancing their rapid insertion into the labor market,” said García Fermín.
He stressed that the enrollment of students will be increased through the opening of new centers nationwide, specifically in the Enriquillo, Cibao Sur, Yuma and Cibao Norte regions.
“In the most recent convocation, held in October of this year, around 100,000 young people applied, while today 16,000 graduates join the 168,281 young people who have graduated from the program since its foundation,” informed the minister.
Meanwhile, Mescyt’s Director of Foreign Languages, Giseh Cuesta, informed that since 2020, the English Immersion Program has experienced a significant expansion, from 23,624 slots to 25,403 and highlighted that, this program has become the main source of production of bilingual personnel in the country, contributing their knowledge in the education sector, tourism, telecommunications and technology, manufacturing, among others.
“The success of the English Immersion Program has transcended national borders, during this year we have offered technical assistance to countries in the region such as Ecuador and Colombia, the mission continues and our commitment is unwavering, let’s continue to grow and achieve new goals together,” highlighted Cuesta.
Angee Elizabeth Peña Solís spoke on behalf of the graduates, who said that this moment marks a beginning full of new opportunities for all, because the English language has become a universal bridge that connects cultures, ideas and possibilities, therefore, it has become a fundamental component for the educational development of the nation and, at the same time, it positions them for a promising future. He thanked the Dominican Government for providing the funds and tools that made this training possible.
Present at the ceremony were the rector of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), Editrudis Beltrán; the executive director of the National Council of Free Export Zones, Daniel Liranzo; the chancellor of the Universidad del Caribe, José Alejandro Aybar; the rector of the Universidad Central del Este, José Hazim.
Source: Presidencia.gob.do
