by Rod Hughes

Costa Ricans want a university education but many are the aspirants and few are called. Look at the figures: University of Costa Rica (UCR) has the same 7,500 new students as last year, although 30,000 took the entrance exam. Autonomous University (UNA) at Heredia is adding space for 500 but that only brings the openings up to 4,500–15,500 will be turned away.

At Costa Rica Technological Institute a 400-place rise only brings new student up to 4,524, although 19,000 took the exams. And low test scores are not the only reason for turning away students–some courses fill up rapidly.

Some public universities have tiny regional annexes that really do little to alleviate the need. For those who are rejected and can afford it, private universities will take up some slack. Universidad Latina, for example, has 19,000 total enrollment and others are nearly as large.

University rectors complain that they are getting no more public funding than they did last year. And budget makers in the Legislative Assembly must balance their needs with primary and secondary schools.