The Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano and MESCYT are granting 1,000 scholarships to study English in four provinces of the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo, Tuesday, July 23, 2024. The Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano (ICDA) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (MESCYT) announced the awarding of 1,000 scholarships for virtual English language studies. These scholarships will benefit young adults and adults from the provinces of Samaná, María Trinidad Sánchez, Pedernales, and Barahona, where important tourism projects are underway to advance the country’s progress.

The collaboration agreement was signed at the Lincoln Library of the pioneering institution for English language education in the Dominican Republic, between Dr. Franklin García Fermín, Minister of MESCYT, and Ramón Sosa, Executive Director of ICDA.

García Fermín emphasized the initiative’s significance for the economic and social development of the beneficiary regions. He highlighted that learning English will enable recipients to effectively serve tourists visiting these areas, thereby promoting quality experiences and enhancing local youth’s job opportunities.

He assured that President Luis Abinader is firmly committed to ensuring Dominican youth receive top-level training to drive the country’s progress.

García Fermín underscored the president’s advocacy for education and the aspirations for advancement among Dominican youth.

Meanwhile, Ramón Sosa, ICDA’s Executive Director, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to providing quality and accessible education that enriches both knowledge and comprehensive professional training for youth, contributing to the nation’s overall development. This scholarship program reinforces ICDA’s mission to “transform lives.”

He noted that according to the 2018 National Household Survey (ENHOGAR), only 9.1% of Dominicans aged 15 and older speak English, and the poverty rate among non-English speakers is 24.3%, compared to just 5.8% among English speakers. The selected provinces for this program have some of the lowest rates of English proficiency in the country.

The Agreement:

This agreement represents a significant step towards strengthening the tourism sector and training human resources in key areas of the country. Through these scholarships, the aim is not only to enhance the linguistic skills of young people but also to promote a culture of service and hospitality that enhances the tourist appeal of these provinces.

The call for applications for this program will open on August 6, 2024, and will be announced through the communication channels of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (MESCYT) and the Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano (ICDA).