Costa Rica - People and Society

Costa Rica Education

Through constant attention to education, Costa Rica has achieved the highest literacy rate in Central America. Its literacy rate rivals that of many larger and more industrialized nations. Since the 1970’s Costa Rica has consistently invested twenty-eight percent of the national budget in education something which would not have been possible while maintaining armed forces.

The educational system is divided into three major sections. Elementary schooling is free and obligatory. Seventy percent of high schools are public, while accredited private institutions provide the other thirty percent. University education began last century, but it wasn’t until 1940 that the University of Costa Rica, the country’s largest public university, was founded. Thirty years later, several more public universities had been created, including a correspondence school. The first of numerous private universities was established in 1977.

   Order  Title asc Title desc Hits asc Hits desc Ordering

Item Title

Hits

More Teachers than Soldiers

1865

Languages Academies

1370

Educational System

1812

Literacy

1745

Universities

2448

Education in Costa Rica

1786

• Costa Rica Identity  ( 13 items )
• Costa Rica Language  ( 1 items )
• Costa Rica Population Etnies  ( 8 items )
• Costa Rica Indigenous Cultures  ( 14 items )
• Costa Rica Religion  ( 3 items )
• Costa Rica Figures or Icons  ( 11 items )