COCREF

COCREF (Colegio Cristianos Reformados, or Christian Reformed School), founded in 1981, is a coalition of Christian schools in the Dominican Republic. COCREF educates over 5,000 students from some of the most impoverished areas in the Dominican Republic.

The Context

When most people think of the Dominican Republic, images of a beautiful contry covered with lush forests and long, white sandy beaches come to mind.  However, the Domincan Republic is also a country with much poverty.  Twenty-Five percent of the population live below the poverty line of less than $2 a day.  While the Ministry of Education reports that 97% of all children from the first through eighth grade level are in school, studies show that those in the eighth grade ranked considerably lower – actually at the sixth grade level in urban areas and at the fifth grade level in rural areas.  The quality of education is poor in many cases. 

Although COCREF schools serve a large variety of students living throughout the country, some of the more dire needs are of the students living in the sugarcane work camps, called “bateyes.”  A “batey” is an area of a sugar cane plantation where barrack type of housing was built for the Haitian immigrants employed in the cutting of sugar cane. About 7.5% of the population of the Dominican Republic live in bateyes. While once a profitable industry, sugar trade is no longer competitive in the Dominican Republic. 

Poor wages, deplorable conditions and lack of education make bateyes among the poorest communities in the Dominican Republic.  Families are often unable to provide for their most basic human needs (food and housing) and feel as if education is an unobtainable luxury.  In addition, these workers are often subject to abuse by both employers and the government, without access to education and often non-documented with citizenship refused to them and their childre, despite the fact they have lived and worked int he Dominican Republic for many years.  

Formal education is the first step in breaking the cycle of poverty as younger family members have the chance to realize their dreams.  Literacy enables families to take steps towards filing for refugee status allowing families to have legal documentation. This permits families to obtain permission to work legally and to exercise other rights, such as obtaining documentation for their children.  By law anyone born in the country is a citizen, but parents have one year to submit valid forms of identification in order to file a claim. Literate households can fill out governmental forms and qualify for better jobs.  Literate families can also read the Bible. 

COCREF

COCREF has stepped in to give hope for the future of these children by ensuring them a good education.  Today, new chapters in the story of the Dominican Republic are being written by young national leaders like Mario Matos, the president of the COCREF board, Sandra Villanueva, the executive director of COCREF and Norma Rene, the academic director of COCREF.  Mario, Sandra, and Norma are all leaders who come from communities not unlike the bateyes.  They are the ones who the Spirit has given the responsibility to educate the next generation. 

Currently, COCREF runs 21 Christian schools in the Dominican Republic.  All of the schools offer kindergarten, four are elementary only, twelve continue through Jr. High and five offer high school classes.  They employ over 165 teachers, all professing Christians.  Of the teachers, 75% are licensed, 15% have a technical license and the remaining 10% are attending college to complete their contract requirements.  All of the teachers receive year round training and are required to take at least 30 hours of continuing education every year. 

COCREF students have a proven track record of success, with 90% of all high school graduates going on to college.  In addition, COCREF students have won regional competitions and participated in national competitions, winning several scholarships.  Many COCREF alumni are currently working in professional areas as teachers, principals, doctors and lawyers.

Student Achievements 

Gladis González was born in Sabana Grande de Boyá, a small town in the interior on the Dominican Republic which is surrounded by many tiny bateyes.  Gladis attended a COCREF school in San Mateo where she completed the fourth grade.  After moving to Juan Calvino she, through the help of a scholarship, was able to attend and graduate from a COCREF High School with honors.  Gladis enrolled in the university where she studied modern languages.  Today, Gladis teaches English and Spanish at her alma mater.  Looking back she sees how the discrimination she experienced helped strengthen her character and encouraged her to study even harder.  She brings a deep understanding of her students’ circumstances and her love of learning to the classroom. 

Funding

While 70% of COCREF’s budget comes from local sources within the Dominican Republic, Christian Reformed World Missions remains an important funding partner of COCREF.  CRWM provides a substantial grant to COCREF that covers many of the teacher’s salaries.  Though it costs about $34/month for one student to attend a COCREF school, most parents cannot afford this.  Some are charged as little as $2/month because it's all they can afford, and the rest is subsidized from donors and other sources of income.  You can help educate over 5,000 children in the Dominican Republic by supporting COCREF.  Please see the Ways to Give website and designate your gift to "COCREF in the Dominican Republic."