Editing Costa Rica (section)

== Education ==
{{Main|Education in Costa Rica}}
[[File:Estudios Generales.jpg|thumb|The [[University of Costa Rica]] is the largest university in the country and one of the most recognizable across [[Central America]].]]
The literacy rate in Costa Rica is approximately 97 percent and English is widely spoken primarily due to Costa Rica's tourism industry.<ref name="2016.export.gov"/> When the army was abolished in 1949, it was said that the "army would be replaced with an army of teachers".<ref>[http://www.sinabi.go.cr/Biblioteca%20Digital/BIBLIOGRAFIA/Bibliografias/Bib%20Abolicion%20ejercito.pdf Abolición del Ejército en Costa Rica] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035643/http://www.sinabi.go.cr/Biblioteca%20Digital/BIBLIOGRAFIA/Bibliografias/Bib%20Abolicion%20ejercito.pdf |date=4 March 2016 }}. Ministerio de Cultura, Juventud y Deportes, San José, Costa Rica. 2004. {{ISBN|9968-856-21-5}}</ref> Universal [[public education]] is guaranteed in the constitution; primary education is obligatory, and both preschool and secondary school are free. Students who finish 11th grade receive a Costa Rican Bachillerato Diploma accredited by the Costa Rican Ministry of Education.

There are both state and private universities. The state-funded [[University of Costa Rica]] has been awarded the title "Meritorious Institution of Costa Rican Education and Culture" and hosts around 25,000 students who study at numerous campuses established around the country.

A 2016 report by the U.S. government report identifies the current challenges facing the education system, including the high dropout rate among secondary school students. The country needs even more workers who are fluent in English and languages such as Portuguese, Mandarin, and French. It would also benefit from more graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, according to the report.<ref name="2016.export.gov"/> Costa Rica was ranked 70th in the [[Global Innovation Index]] in 2024.<ref>{{Cite book |author=[[World Intellectual Property Organization]] |year=2024 |title=Global Innovation Index 2024: Unlocking the Promise of Social Entrepreneurship |url=https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2024/en/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=www.wipo.int |page=18 |publisher=World Intellectual Property Organization |language=en |doi=10.34667/tind.50062 |isbn=978-92-805-3681-2}}</ref>