Education System Challenges - Costa Rica's education system faces significant challenges, hindering national progress [2][4] - The public education system suffers from a lack of resources, including English and computer education [4] - There is a lack of clear reporting and data on the state of education, hindering effective evaluation and planning [4] - The education system is plagued by bureaucracy, with excessive paperwork burdening teachers [4] - A significant portion of government payroll (65%) is allocated to education, yet productivity remains unmeasured [9] - Approximately 2 million young people are not in education or employment, creating social risks [11] Systemic Issues and Potential Solutions - The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) suffers from "titulitis," prioritizing titles over capabilities in hiring and promotions [4] - The absence of a long-term education plan and a functional Higher Education Council exacerbates the problems [4] - Strong union influence over MEP decisions, particularly in human resources and teacher evaluations, impedes reform [6] - There is a lack of external evaluation and monitoring of schools, hindering quality control [7] - Successful educational models, such as those used in Israel and by some cooperatives, involve performance-based funding and public-private partnerships [12] - The MEP's complex structure, with 90,000-95,000 employees and multiple layers of bureaucracy, hinders effective management [5]