by Rod Hughes

Despite the undoubted success of universal education in Costa Rica, a pioneering movement in the Third World, school officials have been worried by the number of dropouts. Although classrooms and teachers are free, many youngsters abandon their education because their parents cannot pay for uniforms and school supplies. But educators received an encouraging piece of news about 2007—9,000 fewer students deserted schools last year than in 2006.

This is the first time since 2003 that the number of dropouts has diminished. Minister of Public Education Leonardo Garnier attributes the happy situation in great part to government subsidies for needy students being more widespread than before. Garnier added that last year, 140,000 students received scholarships from 15,000 to 50,000 colones monthly under the Avancemos (Let’s Advance) program. Granted, this help is not lavish but often is enough. Randall Gomez, 23, of Puntarenas told the newspaper La Nacion that a scholarship of only 35,000 colones per month (figure 500 per dollar) enabled him to finish the 10th grade last year and he has his eye fixed on graduation.

Garnier adds that teachers are increasingly trying to persuade kids to remain in school. A third reason, not mentioned by the newspaper, may be a growing awareness in the value of education over a premature job. Although jobs are more plentiful (unemployment, less than 5%, is the least in a decade) the demand is for jobs with some skills and a knowledge of English brings strong economic rewards in the workplace. Technical skills bring higher salaries as companies desperately compete for a supply long eclipsed by demand.

Naturally, the fewest number of dropouts were in primary school. The average monthly aid to help keep some of those children in school is 9,000 colones, a relief to impoverished parents. The highest number of dropouts came from night school students. Many have day jobs and find the studies too much pressure and too demanding on their energies.

But educators are not willing to let down in their efforts to cut the dropout figures even more. Garnier said studies are under way now in 50 schools historically plagued by drug consumption and violence among students to find out how many students completed the last school year but did not enroll this year.

Despite beginning this school year with deficits in equipment and classrooms in some areas, Costa Rica still places its kids first in health and education.