INTEC delivers 620 new professionals to the Dominican society in its 42 graduation

He also highlighted the graduation of 204 graduate graduates, many of them in education areas, as well as the investiture of the first group specialized in Education for Adolescents and Adults, some of them supported by the Ministry of Education through the INAFOCAM.

"We want renovation in our classrooms and commitment to student learning. The Dominican school requires a transformation, "said Escala, who introduced the guest speaker, economist Ramón Pérez Minaya, former INTEC regent who throughout his career has researched the educational possibilities of developing countries.

In his keynote speech, Pérez Minaya compared the common factors of investment in education and the impact on the economic development of some Asian countries such as India, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan, which registered a takeoff of their economy and their per capita income from these investments.

He affirmed that, as in India, seven institutes of higher education pushed to raise the quality of the education system, in a country of one billion inhabitants, Dominican universities with academic processes of excellence and selection of the best students, as INTEC does, they also have an impact at the national level.

"We see with amazement how, contrary to the current law, the public primary school is denied the government resources that legally correspond to it for an amount equivalent to 4% of GDP," said the economist. "This is not something new, but rather this has been a systematic practice of the Dominican political class, from the first moment the law was passed."

The economist exhorted the graduates to be more than good and productive citizens: "It must be before the country pains them to not lose the opportunities to participate in the construction of the Dominican future and contribute to the advancement of their alma mater.

The ceremony was headed by José Luis De Ramón, president of the Board of Regents of INTEC, the institution's top management body and the rector, Miguel J. Escala. The main table was also composed by Leandra Tapia, Academic Vice-Rector; Julio Sánchez-Maríñez, Vice-Rector of Research and Liaison and Amarilis García, dean of the Student Services Division.

Alannah Patricia Javier Sánchez, a PIES intern with a degree in Psychology, pronounced the honor oath of the graduates, followed by Marian Arias Rodríguez, of Business Administration, who gave the speech of thanks on behalf of all the graduates.

Global Data

Of the total graduates, 184 belong to the Engineering Area, 145 to the Business Area, 51 to the Health Sciences Area, 231 to the Social Sciences and Humanities Area and 9 to the Basic and Environmental Sciences Area.

Of the new 620 graduates, 225 are men (36%) and 395 women (64%).

Some 103 students received academic honors, of which 34 were men and 69 women. Of these, 39 reached the title with honor Cum Laude; 45 Magna Cum Laude and 19 the highest honors of Summa Cum Laude.

With the integration into the society of these new 620 professionals, INTEC has increased its number of graduates to 22,596 professionals since its foundation in 1972, corresponding to the following levels: 1,907 technicians, 13,149 degree and 7,540 postgraduate.

In this way, the institution continues to fulfill its task as a professional academic training entity within society, in accordance with strategic priorities.

Review of Ramón Pérez Minaya

With a master's degree from the University of Río Piedras, in Puerto Rico, Ramón Pérez Minaya has held important positions in the public administration, as Technical Undersecretary of the Presidency, Technical Deputy Manager of the Central Bank and director of the National Planning Office.

He belongs to INTEC since the 70 years, when he performed functions as Executive Director and Ex-officio Secretary of the Technical Assistance Center of Intec (CEAT). He has been a university professor for many years, both in INTEC, as well as in the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra, in Santo Domingo and member of the Board of Directors of several institutions, companies and banks.

Throughout his career he has had a special interest in education and its link to economic development. He has been the leader of the civil society group that prepared the proposal "New generation of Dominicans" and also has a long experience in research and consulting, being a financial advisor to numerous private organizations and the health sector.

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Miguel J. Escala, president of INTEC.

Ramón Pérez Minaya, economist, former regent of INTEC and guest speaker of the graduation ceremony.

Marian Arias Rodríguez, of Business Administration, gave the speech of thanks on behalf of all graduates.