Governor, education chief highlight historic expansion of Bilingual Education Program

Accompanied by Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Parés, left, Gov. Jenniffer González Colón hosted some 120 students from bilingual schools at La Fortaleza on Wednesday, where she highlighted her administration’s efforts to strengthen public education and expand access to high-quality bilingual models.

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón welcomed some 120 students from bilingual schools across various island municipalities to La Fortaleza on Wednesday as part of a discussion aimed at highlighting the progress and expansion of the Department of Education’s Bilingual Education Program.

Accompanied by Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Parés, the governor highlighted her administration’s efforts to strengthen public education and expand access to high-quality bilingual models.

“The Department of Education has expanded the number of bilingual schools from 36 to 119 campuses in just a year and a half, bringing this educational model to 55 municipalities and benefiting more than 15,000 students across the island,” González Colón said. “I must say that this program truly excites me because, through it, our children gain the tools they need for the future.”

Ramos Parés emphasized that “the right to learn and master two languages ​​not only broadens educational opportunities but also strengthens the ability to communicate in an increasingly interconnected and globalized society.”

The invited students represented a wide range of schools and communities, hailing from Arecibo, Bayamón, and Caguas to Mayagüez, Ponce, Carolina and San Juan. Each student attended with a chaperone and shared how the bilingual model has impacted their academic and personal development.