Costa Rican Culture

What Is The Education Like In Costa Rica?

Education is taken very seriously in Costa Rica, 6% of the country's resources are dedicated to education resulting in over 95% of the population being literate. (Something they are very proud of.) Primary (1st - 6th grade) and Secondary (7th - 12th grade) are free and mandatory for all citizens. However, it is widely felt that the free public education is not of the same quality as private schools, so most middle and higher class citizens choose to send their children to private institutions.

As for education at the university level, the country has four major public universities that are held in very high esteem. Due to the growing population many private institutes have opened up as well, however they are still struggling for the prestige associated with public universities. Most Costa Ricans will tell you they have a higher opinion of a public university graduate then a private graduate. But they all hold a firm belief that education is a way of improving their lives.