Minister of Culture Carmen Heredia announced Dominican theaters to reopen. The government announced an increase in subsidies for activities at the theaters. The government theaters would only charge 12% to local productions. The Deputy Minister for Creativity and Popular Participation is in charge of sponsorship to cultural activities in theater, dance, and music.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
Nov 5, 2020
Education Minister Roberto Furcal proudly announced the start of classes nationwide. While several private schools have begun online classes in August and September, it was not until now that all schools are ordered to start their distance learning programs. This week is a transition week when parents are invited to pick up materials at public schools, and students are introduced to new distance learning programs.
The government says that 500,000 students have received laptops. Nevertheless, most students are being asked to tune into morning and afternoon hours of instruction a day on TV and radio. Each grade is being assigned a TV channel. Classes will be from 9 to 12 noon and 3 to 6 pm. Students are receiving notebooks and teachers will be providing guidance by WhatsApp.
Furcal stresses the content is logical and useful. He spoke of a video on nation founding father Juan Pablo Duarte that was prepared with the Duarte Institute. Another is on the Dominican Constitution in coordination with the Constitutional Court. There is a video on driver’s education, prepared with the National Transit Institute (Intrant). Another on the national dance, merengue, with legendary experts Huchi Lora and Rafael Solano. The Ministry of Sports is involved and there are videos on learning to play baseball with legendary baseball players on learning to play table tennis and chess. There is a video on the environment prepared with the Ministry of Environment. A video motivates respect and love for animals, prepared with ONGs dedicated to animal welfare.
Education Furcal also announced that parents will receive the raw ingredients to prepare the snacks and lunches at home. The families will need to pick the ingredients at the public schools once a week.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
Nov 5, 2020
Well-known lawyer, Fabio J. Guzmán is launching the Guzman Ariza Institute of Lexicography (IGALEX), a non-profit institution, dedicated to the research and publishing of Dominican and Spanish Caribbean dictionaries. The foundation will compile, write, and edit the dictionaries. Guzmán also presides the Fabio J. Guzman Foundation that is a local expert on the correct use of the Spanish language in the Dominican Republic.
Igalex will collaborate to prepare Spanish dictionaries published by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) and the Association of Spanish Language Academies (ASALE). It will also cooperate with the Dominican Academy of the Language (ADL) in the academic training in lexicography and the dissemination of the use and knowledge of the dictionaries.
Lexicographer María José Rincón, a member of the ADL, will lead the team that includes Roberto Guzmán Silverio, Rita Evelin Díaz Blanco and Ruth J. Ruiz Pérez.
As a first task, the Guzmán Ariza Institute is preparing a new edition of the Dictionary of Dominican Spanish, published by the ADL in 2013. Online access will be free to the dictionary.
The Guzmán Ariza Foundation is financing the initiative. It will complement the Fundéu Guzmán Ariza (www.fundeu.do) whose main objective is the correct use of the Spanish language by Dominican media.
Source: DR1, Gusman Ariza
Nov 5, 2020
