In recent months, the country’s educational quality has been subjected to further analysis, revealing the shortcomings in the teaching model, which unfortunately affect thousands of students, both in the public and private sectors.

In this scenario and now more than ever, education experts reiterate that it is essential to promote a competency-based learning methodology from a comprehensive training perspective, in which educational objectives based on memorizing concepts are left aside. theoretical, so common in traditional learning, to give way to the development of capacities and abilities necessary to respond to the different problems that they will face in all stages of their lives.

MelaniaBaltodano, Kumon instructor in Costa Rica explains that “competency-based education aims to develop the student’s critical sense, teaching them to relate their ideas and to be able to solve problems. It is not a matter of memorizing and forgetting, but of ensuring that the content of each subject enhances their analytical skills and helps them form their own opinion with solid arguments to defend it”.

Learn by themselves

The model offers children and young people the opportunity to learn by themselves, gain autonomy, be constant and disciplined, and increase self-esteem and confidence in their abilities, fundamental aspects to approach the school year with all the guarantees and to prepare for looking to the future, both professionally and personally.

According to experts, a student who is capable of learning new things understands learning as a natural process and develops a positive attitude towards any task.“Educating by competencies is synonymous with developing the ability to learn by oneself. If we want our children to be responsible, we must let them be the ones to think and make an effort to resolve each situation”, adds Baltodano.

Although it is not in the hands of parents or guardians to modify the national educational methodology, they can carry out practices and habits to promote the development of discipline that will allow success in any activity, through perseverance.

Routines are important to lead an orderly life and promote responsible attitudes, so that little by little students are able to manage their time, plan and adopt a positive attitude and behavior towards studying.With just a few minutes of dedication a day, long-term results are visible because children and young people internalize the work routine and enjoy the advantages of being disciplined.

Other recommendations for parents to promote adequate learning are:

• Reinforce the concept of academic self-esteem from an early age, affirming that they are capable of learning and achieving different achievements related to the study, since on some occasions a negative connotation is usually given to the lessons.
• Explore what is the best way in which children and young people learn best, since everyone does it differently. Some learn better if the visual part is exploited, for example, underlining portions of a text; others, through an auditory format, such as studying aloud, and others learn kinesthetically, so they need to move to learn (walk or sway while studying to satisfy the need for movement). Therefore, it is important to observe the way in which our children learn and promote it at home.
• Develop self-regulation, which means being able to set goals and achieve them through motivation and persistence. To achieve this, among other things, you must set goals, have a work plan, encourage students to experience a sense of achievement, and always use positive language.
• Adopt self-assessment to teach them the importance of identifying mistakes and learning from them, always seeing them as opportunities for improvement.

Changing the mentality

“Changing the mentality and academic culture, although it is a great challenge, would bring great benefits, since we would be ensuring professionals with more skills that would increase the quality of the national working population. Meanwhile, it is up to parents to promote the skills of our children and young people, for which tools such as extracurricular classes can be used ”, concludes the KumonEscazú instructor.

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International and national experts will meet in Costa Rica to discuss topics such as emerging technologies: artificial intelligence and virtual reality, student-centered pedagogical approaches and 21st century skills; to offer a comprehensive vision of how students should be prepared for the challenges of a constantly changing world.

They will participate in the FUTURE OF EDUCATION Congress, 2023 edition, which will be held by the Latin American University of Science and Technology, ULACIT, on September 5 and 6 in the University’s auditorium in Barrio Tournón, San José.

Among the participants will be the American Gary Bolles, internationally recognized in the field of disruption management or sudden interruption. Knowledgeable of the constant changes that affect society and the markets; Bolles promotes the creation of a culture of innovation and offers strategies for the skills of tomorrow. In addition, it addresses issues related to leadership in times of change and the impact of business in the new digital economy.

Bring about the social and economic change

“To train the professionals and entrepreneurs who will have to bring about the social and economic change that the global world of the future requires, we must know the needs that the market will demand, therefore, we must prepare and know the perspectives and trends that we have. to adapt”, commented MarianelaNúñez, Rector of ULACIT.

The congress will analyze the most significant educational trends, such as personalized learning, artificial intelligence in the classroom, project-based learning and the focus on the development of skills for the 21st century. You will explore how the effective integration of technology into the teaching and learning process can improve educational quality, facilitate access to resources, and promote collaboration between students and teachers.

In addition.seeks to highlight the importance of cultivating skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem solving, to prepare students for success in a highly changing world.

Another of the premises will be to demonstrate that experience-based learning and student participation in the educational process can improve knowledge retention and encourage the practical application of what has been learned.

And of course, topics such as the importance of inclusive and equitable education cannot be missing, as well as the need to cultivate the socio-emotional well-being of future professionals, fostering empathy, resilience and managing emotions.

Another speaker is the Mexican Jorge Rodriguez Tort, from the Tecnológico de Monterrey who has 10 years of experience in educational innovation and entrepreneurship. Currently, he is director of the Services and Consulting area of ​​the Institute for the Future of Education and Leader of Alternative Credentials of the Tecnológico de Monterrey.

There will also be the participation of the Mexican Beatriz Palacios, who has 30 years of experience, has participated in the development of digital education at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, through the design and deployment of different models for high school, professional, postgraduate programs and executive education. He has also been an active participant in the definition of the concept of corporate university and the application models of virtual and hybrid education in companies and universities.

Prepare for tomorrow

“We hope to have a great attendance, so that together we can learn and prepare for tomorrow, because knowing the skills of the future will make us highly trained people” added the rector of ULACIT.

Signing up

The congress will have the participation of national exhibitors such as the Minister of Education and rectors of universities, among others. It is free and open to the public, those interested can get their tickets at https://globalforums.co/index.php/congreso-futuro-de-la-educacion/

 As for the Gary Bolles conference, those who cannot attend in person, you can register at https://www.eventbrite.es/e/entradas-las-habilidades-para-brillar-en-el-futuro-del-trabajo-706376560307?aff=oddtdtcreator and follow it virtually.

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Promoting Information and Communication Technology careers for girls and young women brings many benefits to society in terms of contributing to gender equality and opportunities in an area where there is also a shortage of talent. The ICT sector is the one with the highest absorption capacity for professionals and is one of those that pay the best. Precisely, by 2050, it is estimated that 75% of jobs will be related to STEM areas, according to UN Women.

“At ManpowerGroup, a global leader in human talent solutions and an expert in the entire labor cycle, we consider it important to promote, open opportunities and bring more women to this sector. Our latest Continuous Employment Survey indicates that this is one of the areas that faces the greatest shortage of talent in the world, where 73% of organizations indicated that they have difficulties finding staff in this area”, said Estefany Quesada, IT Recruiter coordinator from Manpower Group.

In order to promote these careers, the expert recommends:

• Inspire with female references- It has been shown that girls who have female references in the scientific field will show a greater interest in ICTs.

• Encourage experiential learning- Foster science and technology learning environments that encourage curiosity and experimentation.

• Enroll them in workshops from an early age- Generate interest through real experiences that they will live in training workshops and science clubs.

• Support from the academy- Look for options that universities offer such as tours to see the campus, workshops they give, and even scholarships.

“From an early age we must encourage access to careers or occupations that are traditionally held by men. At ManpowerGroup we consider it necessary to invest in training so that there is more involvement of women in ICT areas, and thus we collaborate to reduce the gender gap in this area of great demand”, concluded Quesada.

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The “Mente en Acción” program seeks young women between the ages of 15 and 19 interested in developing technical and strategic skills in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). They will receive training for 11 weeks where they will make a mobile application prototype in groups.

The girls will also learn about Thunkable X programming and Design Thinking, gender empowerment and personal leadership. Once they complete this process, they will be part of the National Network of Women in Science and Technology. In addition, they will have opportunities such as academic scholarships, certifications, internships, and job opportunities in technology companies.

Melissa Monge, executive director of Ideas in Action explained that the program is hybrid, that is, sometimes attendance is face-to-face and other times it will be online. “We can have that power of face-to-face, with which it is possible to create a strong network of girls and a cohesive group, combined with the maximization of resources from virtual sessions, where the girls do not have to invest additional time traveling, but instead they can make the most of the time”, explained Monge.

How to take part of it

Women who are interested should fill out the form available at this link: https://wkf.ms/42QiojA It is essential to be available to connect every Saturday, from May 13th to July 14th, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 5 pm. Additionally, they will connect to the introductory session on May 10 at 5 p.m. and be willing to invest 2 hours into the program, during the week. It is necessary to have internet access that allows you to participate in the virtual sessions.

In 2018, KeniaSamudio was one of the contest participants who confessed that what she learned during the program helped her in soft skills and technical training, when programming in Python, HTML, Java, and App Inventor. “She was also a fundamental part in having an advanced level of Excel and sowed in me the seeds of Continuous Improvement and Data Science”, she said. Currently, she works in one of the sponsoring companies of the program.

MenTes en Acción is carried out thanks to Accenture, IBM, P&G and Emerson, and is also carried out in partnership with Efecto Boomerang.

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A second chapter begins in the history of Ella Es Astronauta Costa Rica, which strengthens educational processes in STEAM —science, technology, engineering, mathematics and arts— in different countries of the region, which still face challenges towards gender equity, access to education and other problems of social fabric. This program comes to transform the lives of girls and young Ticas in vulnerable conditions and contribute to the change of country. The call will open on April 1^st until May 1^st.

Created in 2019 and recognized worldwide thanks to its alliance with the Space Center – NASA in Houston, United States, the objective of this program is to break gender stereotypes, turn girls into agents of change and continue contributing to the construction of country. Selected crew members will have the opportunity to participate in an educational program that includes four months of virtual classes on empowerment, leadership, social entrepreneurship, STEAM skills, webinars with astronauts, and other high-impact speakers who have led the way in different fields.

Women who make history such as Costa Rican scientist Sandra Cauffman (deputy director of the Earth Sciences Division in the NASA Science Mission Directorate), Adriana Ocampo (Science Programs manager, chief program executive for the New Frontier program), and this year, a special guest, Tatiana Calderón (precursor of Latin American motorsports, first woman to run in Formula 2) who are part of the program as great mentors and sources of inspiration.

Construction of a more equitable society

For Priscilla Solano, director of Ella Es Astronauta in Costa Rica and vice president of the organization, “This very important program that contributes to the construction of a more equitable society, makes it possible to make visible and transform the lives of girls in our country, making visible the ones that seem invisible. It is a trip to the future, it is to open a world full of opportunities and curiosities”.

Historic steps in the transformation and generation of opportunities for our girls

“We are taking historic steps in the transformation and generation of opportunities for our girls, this second mission in Costa Rica fills us with pride and is one more achievement for girls and women to be interested in STEAM careers,” says Nadia Sánchez, president of the She Is Foundation, created in 2016, whose mission is to empower girls and women in vulnerable conditions through entrepreneurship and education in science and technology. Since 2019, it has been successfully running this program, recognized worldwide thanks to its alliance with the Space Center Houston – NASA in Houston, United States.

The program culminates with a week of academic immersion at the NASA Space Center. They will have activities on robotics, programming, rocket construction, mission organization, lunar habitat creation, and talks with experts in flight direction and space travel simulation. In this dynamic, they will also learn to work as a team, to develop values ​​of leadership and camaraderie, just as the professional teams of astronauts that embark on space missions do.

Upon their return, the participants will continue to be part of the She Is community. Through the ALUMNI platform, they will continue to be active completing the courses to which the foundation invites them and in replicability and inspiration activities for youth, as agents of change. Those who continue in the process in an outstanding way can obtain university scholarships. Since 2022, 16 scholarships have been awarded.

Those interested in living this great experience must meet the following requirements and register, from April 1 to May 1, at www.she-is.org:

• Be between 11 and 16 years old.
• Not being a relative in the 1st degree of consanguinity of a popularly elected public servant
• The family must be in a situation of extreme poverty, moderate poverty or a condition of demonstrable vulnerability
• Receive academic training in a public educational institution
• Demonstrate excellent academic performance.
• Have time availability to meet all classes and activities.
• Sign Letter of Commitment
• Not having participated in any of the face-to-face missions of the Ella EsAstronauta program
• Have a responsible tutor who provides accompaniment to the crew member during the activities of the program in its virtual phase
• Fill out the application form completely and truthfully

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In the 21st century, have you ever wondered if machismo and stereotypes still exist in the world of work? UNESCO data indicates that only 29.3% of researchers in the world are women.

In Costa Rica, the Conare Labor Observatory indicates that 13% of Mechatronics professionals are women; they also represent 16.9% of the specialists in Mechanical Engineering, 119.7% in Electrical Engineering, 14.9% in Electronics and 26.2% in Chemical Engineering. In addition to these data that provide the context of the national reality, the Federated College of Engineers and Architects (CFIA) also confirms the low presence of women in STEM areas (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), since 76.35% of its members are men.

Unfortunately, conventional stereotypes affect the performance of many women

Machismo and stereotypes are still present in the performance of women, which affects the freedom to work and study in what is really desired. Engineer Sandra Cauffman experienced this problem, just when she wanted to study Mechanical Engineering and was rejected and directed towards another engineering careerthat she did not want to study. Despite these kinds of obstacles, Cauffman, like mechanical engineer Melania Guerra, managed to show that women can perform in any area.

Guerra is today the strategic and scientific director of Planet and Cauffman has a 32-year trajectory working for NASA. Both of them were partners when the mechanical engineer worked for NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “The first thing she had to do was overcome that internal voice that sabotaged her and made her doubt her abilities. She had to strengthen her self-esteem and confidence to be able to take on the challenges and opportunities that were presented, because typically, when she was in front of her colleagues, she doubted a lot if she could achieve it”, Guerra said about Cauffman.

How to change prejudices

For the rector of the Fidélitas University, Emilia Gazel, these prejudices, norms, and social filters have kept women from STEAM careers. Within the framework of the International Day of Girls and Women in Science, celebrated on February 11th, this institution shared a series of activities that can be carried out to change current prejudices:

• Overthrow sexism and inequality in education and work.

• Allow women to play with the toys they want without gender limitations.

• Empower girls so that they know that their professional future is chosen by them.

• Educate adults so that they eliminate the barriers that are imposed when choosing a career.

• Recognize women as social, political, economic, scientific, artistic, and sports leaders.

• Eradicate gender violence in all areas.

“Unfortunately, illusions from within the home often kill them, so an intense campaign should be carried out at the national level to break down stereotypes in homes, especially in rural areas, where there is a lot of machismo, violence, discrimination and mistreatment”, considers Arlette Zúñiga, professor of the Systems Engineering career at Fidélitas University.

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Continuing with the adaptation of technology in the financial sector, the attraction of youth towards the cooperative model, cybersecurity and financial education are some of the challenges that savings and credit cooperatives envision in our country. During the forum “Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Costa Rica: Keys to Success and Future Challenges”, organized by Coopenae, with the support of FEDEAC and the College of Economic Sciences, issues related to this sector were analyzed, such as: the challenges and challenges towards the future, savings and credit cooperatives as engines of the economy, strategic alliances as a tool for competitiveness and leadership keys for success.

José Eduardo Alvarado, general manager of Coopenae, explained that the cooperative model is in an important fight because the country needs companies that represent a boost to build a better Costa Rica. “We must renew our votes, vision and commitment to follow this business model that is doing something right to be where it is. For example, in 1995, a state bank was 104 times bigger than Coopenae; in 2022 that same state bank is 8.6 times bigger than Coopenae. We have invested a lot and we have made great efforts to be able to move forward”, explained Alvarado.

Cooperatives represent 11% of the financial sector; however, work focused on people and their needs has made a difference in the country. “Cooperatives have the responsibility to improve the quality of life of the population, we have the obligation to generate wealth and distribute it among hundreds of thousands of associates who trust in this model to capitalize on it and make a cooperative exist. We have the obligation to give loans and savings, and provide financial services and products under better conditions and this is our reason for being”, explained Adrián Álvarez, Coopenae’s deputy general manager.

Challenges

To determine future challenges, it is important to take into account the risks currently facing the sector such as: cybersecurity, change in regulations, human capital management, digital disruption, among others. “We consider among the challenges is convincing people that when they need a loan, want to make savings, or need some financial service we are the first option because we are the best. There is strong competition in the financial sector; however, cooperatives have unique benefits. In addition, explaining to young people the impact of belonging to the cooperative model”, commented Álvarez.

Another challenge is maintaining market share so that it continues to grow, investing in Financial Education and being able to help people who are indebted, as well as global and national geopolitical issues. Likewise, regulatory and corporate governance issues that are changing rapidly, digital transformation, cybersecurity, support for smaller cooperatives, business services and human resource management.

Engines of economy

Deputy Monserrat Ruiz expanded on all the collaboration that cooperative entities have given to Costa Rica. “Cooperatives provide economic support to many women within the national financial system, they have played a key role where there are not many direct opportunities for them and cooperatives have become competitive. I have been able to see how they are immersed in continuous innovation and have visualized social programs with important achievements in this matter”, assured Ruíz.

The deputy mentioned that cooperatives allow business to be generated and open options for new generations. “It is important that young people discover all the benefits of this model and can dazzle their future with the generation of goals and dignified lives that cooperativism allows them”, said Ruiz.

For his part, Francisco Montoya, general manager of Coopealianza, said that alliances between cooperatives are necessary in the country. “To guarantee sustainability there is only one route and that is to make strategic alliances as a competitiveness tool. An alliance can be made when there is synergy, affection and trust”, said Montoya.

See you soon

At the end of the forum, Mr. José Eduardo Alvarado took the opportunity to say goodbye to the entire cooperative and financial sector, after taking Coopenae forward in its 40 years of hard and tireless work.

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76.6% of Costa Ricans use different passwords as a cyber security measure, as revealed by the Actualidades 2022 survey conducted by the University of Costa Rica (UCR).

This same study detailed that another measure has to do with avoiding the use of platforms in public access networks such as restaurants and parks (71.3%) and 58.9% also change their passwords at least once every three months.

Do not include personal data

Henry Lizano Mora, head of the UCR Information Center advised the population not to include personal data in passwords such as dates of birth, names of relatives or information related to place of residence.

Likewise, he informed that another measure when choosing a password is the length since the longer it is, the more difficult it will be to decipher it by artificial intelligence systems.

Not less than twelve characters

“One recommendation is that it should not be less than twelve characters. With this figure, a computer can last 200 years to crack a password by brute force and, when it cracks it, we will no longer be using it. We won’t even be alive,” said the expert.

Also, take into account that the ideal is to combine upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters such as the dollar sign, at sign, the numeral or another.

This same study also highlighted that 81.6% of those interviewed were very or somewhat concerned about being the victim of theft of money in their bank accounts.

“No significant differences were found by sex, age or subjective income. However, the greatest concern was in university and secondary school people, in which these differences were higher compared to those who had completed primary school or less”, explained Sebastián Varela, student researcher in charge of this section.

Trust in paper and memory

Trust in paper remains strong despite the digital age. This, since 30.1% prefer papers to store their passwords compared to 20.6% who keep them on their cell phones.Meanwhile, 9.5% use some specialized application or program to guard their passwords.

Of course, more than half of the population chooses to use the memory since 58.1% said they remember their passwords without having to save them on paper or on the phone. It should be noted that the survey report indicated that people could mention more than one method, therefore the percentages do not add up to 100%.

Using a secure password manager

Lizano recommended using a secure password manager. He informed about some free options.“Some of the most used and that we recommend are: DashLane, LastPass, OnePassword and KeePass Password. These are some, among many others, that we can certify because we have already tested them”, he stated.

On the other hand, he suggested not saving the passwords in the cell phone notes blog because it would be difficult to find or someone else could have access to the information.

The survey chose to ask questions related to this area after the Conti group entered the pages of public and private institutions in 2022 to obtain information such as personal data.

Despite this scenario, those surveyed showed confidence in state banks, particularly. Not so on pages of public institutions such as the Ministry of Finance.According to the University of Costa Rica, the percentages of trust shown by the survey were the following: Banco de Costa Rica (67.0%), BancoNacional (63.5%) and Banco Popular (61.9%).

Other public institutions also showed positive results. Among them is the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (64.2%) and the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (60.6%).

“The institutions that Ticos trust least are the Presidency of the Republic (51.4%), private banks (48.0%) and the Ministry of Finance (40.5%),” concluded Varela.The survey was carried out on 1,873 people over the age of 18, through telephone consultations.

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As of June 2nd, 2022, all children, young people, and families in general who visit the Children’s Museum will be able to enjoy a modern and attractive space for education and learning. This is the “STEAM Room”, a place full of technology, tests, games, and interactive devices that will provide unique opportunities to visitors. The renovated space seeks to encourage research and interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).

This project has been developing for more than 5 years and today it is a reality thanks to the collaboration between CINDE, the Children’s Museum, and the fundamental support of the companies Akamai, Emerson, Establishment Labs, Intel and Maderama, Pulse, Roche, National Instruments, Accenture, and Johnson&Johnson.

“At the Children’s Museum we recognize the importance of promoting careers in the STEAM areas in the new generations and mainly in women, for this reason, we thank the Costa Rican Coalition of Development Initiatives (CINDE) and each of the companies that have provided their valuable contribution to offer the public this modern and attractive room, which we are sure will enhance the abilities and skills of children and young people who visit us”, said Mónica Riveros, Executive Director of the Children’s Museum.

This attractive space of the “Castle of Dreams” is made up of 6 modules (each dedicated to an area of ​​the STEAM methodology), where visitors will learn about the importance of the scientific method, programming, and decoding. Also, product design, manufacturing through technological processes, robotics, and the integration of technology in today’s society.

The room opened its doors in 2020, however, due to the effects of the pandemic, its visitation and access had to be paused. Today it opens again to the public looking renewed, with attractive graphics in various sectors, a modern learning methodology, and an area equipped for the development of STEAM workshops.

“We are seeing exponential growth in job opportunities in careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, so we need to stimulate a taste for these skills, mobilize girls and young women to aspire to quality jobs and a future based on innovation. Although Costa Rica leads indexes in digital skills in Latin America, according to the World Economic Forum, as a country we are still fertile ground in human talent and we must continue dedicating joint efforts that bring us closer to industry 4.0, like the one we are celebrating today” added Vanessa Gibson, Director of Investment Climate at CINDE.

It should be noted that, as part of the STEAM Room reopening projects, a virtual reality experience strategy will be developed that will be implemented in public schools in the country. This initiative aims to impact students from different parts of the country thanks to the support of CINDE, Accenture, Pixdea, Hologic, the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), and the Children’s Museum.

“For the Ministry of Education, this entertainment and learning room enhances and complements how we are educating in Costa Rican classrooms, one more affirmative step that we take as a country to advance and support the modernization of comprehensive education. Children and young people are increasingly critical, and creative and we must give them spaces to develop their full potential”, said Rocío Solís Gamboa, Academic Vice Minister.

The room covers an area of ​​112 m2 and is aimed mainly at boys, girls, and young people between 7 and 15 years old. The public will be able to enjoy this attractive space as part of the regular tour of the Museum and users are expected to enjoy themselves while learning about the wonderful world of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

In the new knowledge economy, it is vital to promote from an early age the necessary learning skills and tools that allow the future human talent of the country to take advantage of all the opportunities that the world will offer them. This room will be the first experience for many boys and girls who want to discover that technology and imagination can take them wherever they want.

The STEAM Room was opened to the public this Thursday, June 2nd at 9:00 a.m. with the presence of representatives of each of the companies linked to the project and representatives of the MEP, CINDE, and the Children’s Museum.

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It will take almost 2 decades for a very high percentage of students in the state system, when they graduate from high school, to do so speaking English. The level of bilingualism of students in the country would improve from the implementation of the Action Plan 2021-2040, launched by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), with which the Education Policy for Language Promotion.

• New English programs for kids and teenagers in CR

This despite the fact that the poor or almost null command of a second language became one of the reasons why Costa Rica is the OECD country with the highest rate of youth unemployment. The lag was also demonstrated in the most recent Linguistic Proficiency tests, in which 64% of the students obtained a “beginner” level.

This deficiency, which has been dragging on for decades, is a trap that deprives students of skills and opportunities inside and outside the country, according to different experts consulted by LA REPÚBLICA, who warn that no more can be expected.

Likewise, a low linguistic command of teachers, few English lessons and limited exposure to the language in daily life, would be some of the reasons why the country has not managed to improve its level. “The lack of English is sadly a phenomenon that has not been given the magnitude and importance it requires. There must be a rethinking of the way it is taught, because it is clear that for almost 3 decades the programs have been the same, and there has been no progress towards what seems to be a dream: a bilingual country”, said Beatriz Ramírez, President of the Association of Private Educational Centers (ACEP).

In this sense, teachers must not only speak English and be certified, but also have to know didactics, and immersion programs are necessary, because there is a difference between language teaching and language teaching, according to Ramírez. “Learning English should start in preschool education and should be continued in primary school, until advanced proficiency is achieved. Secondary education could well be multilingual, as it is in the Nordic European countries and many other countries around the world”, Silvia Castro, President of the Board of Directors of the Latin American University of Science and Technology (Ulacit), pointed out.

On the other hand, the country must define more ambitious goals to increase coverage in schools that teach the English program because, although it is wide, inequalities persist, especially in the most remote areas, detailed the State of Education report.

In addition, it is a priority to provide educational centers with technological infrastructure that facilitates and makes learning processes more attractive. “The results of the English tests last year at the School of Modern Sciences of the University of Costa Rica indicate that only 35% of students in secondary school reach the expected bands B1 and B2, and only 33% in primary school, and already such low results in elementary school is one of the reasons why high school students do not have the expected exit profile” indicated Katherine Barquero, researcher of the report.

EDUCATIONAL POLICY FOR THE PROMOTION OF LANGUAGES

What does this policy contemplate?

• Universalize the mastery of a second language, by expanding the coverage of the educational offer of foreign languages, LESCO, and indigenous languages.
• Provide the teaching community with teaching methods and resources that ensure the learning of a second language.
• Strengthen teacher performance through professional development so that they mediate meaningfully and have advanced language proficiency.
• Generate bilingual environments in educational centers led by the student population, for the use of the language in complementary curricular activities.
• Assess the mastery of foreign languages ​​through processes of diagnosis, progress, location and certification of language skills in the student population.

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