IDB Supports Costa Rica to Improve the Quality of its Educational System

The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $150 million loan and a $7.5 million grant to help improve the quality of preschool, primary, and secondary education in Costa Rica. 

The program "Improving the Quality of the Educational System in Costa Rica" aims to strengthen teaching and learning conditions for national and migrant students by supporting the Ministry of Public Education (MEP)'s pedagogical, technological, and administrative transformation. 

The operation combines cost-effective short-term programs to reduce learning gaps in educational centers and students with greater lag, with strategies such as reviewing study programs, providing analog and digital pedagogical materials aligned to the curriculum, and supporting teachers in the use of active learning methodologies and programs to improve the school climate. 

The program will benefit 1 million students, 90,000 teachers, and the educational system's administrative staff. It will also support the recovery of foundational reading and writing skills for more than 111,000 students and close support for 1,240 educational centers. 

It will also strengthen the Institute of Professional Development (IDP)'s capacity to provide training and support to teachers throughout their careers and support the improvement of MEP's information and management systems. This program is part of the new IDB Strategy for Costa Rica for the period 2024-2027. 

"One of the pillars of the new IDB strategy in Costa Rica is the protection of the solid social contract that distinguishes this country, in which the educational system is a driver of progress and well-being. This program reaffirms our commitment to contribute to strengthening the quality of public education to meet the needs of students, generating opportunities for thousands of children and young students, and thus building a more inclusive society," said Francisco Javier Urra, IDB Representative in Costa Rica. 

“Education is the best investment that a country can make to grow with equality, sustainability and have human capital capable of navigating the challenges of development. For this reason, we remain committed to contributing to the educational ecosystem of countries like Costa Rica, promoting measures to accelerate and improve learning, with structural reforms and intelligent spending that generates a true impact on students and society," said Mercedes Mateo, head of the IDB Education Division. 

The Minister of Finance of Costa Rica, Nogui Acosta Jaén commented that "tThe country needs an educational transformation to generate a sustainable impact so that students have the tools and skills necessary to face the challenges of the labor market and succeed in an increasingly digitalized world. The IDB's support is a valuable contribution to advance this important process," added the Minister of Finance, Nogui Acosta Jaén. 

The operation is part of an MEP program to improve the quality and efficiency of the education system in Costa Rica. It has the support of the IDB and the World Bank, which in 2023 agreed to work together to scale the impact and reduce the digital divide in education in the region. 

In addition to the loan, the program includes a non-reimbursable grant of $7.5 million from the IDB's Special Donations Fund to support the integration of the migrant population and thus achieve quality education for the entire population. This grant will specifically benefit about 49,000 migrant students, representing 5% of the student population in the public education system.