The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) has announced key details for the 2026 academic year, which begins under the theme: “School shapes us, writing drives us, and values guide us.” The new school year will see an enrollment of 1,088,959 students across 5,315 educational centers, supported by a staff of over 88,000 people.
National training sessions for staff are scheduled from February 9 to February 20. Classes will start on Monday, February 23. The mid-year break is set for July 6 to July 17. Afterward, classes will resume until December 9. Graduation ceremonies are planned for December 10 and December 11.
Enrollment rates have increased in several areas over the past decade. Coverage in Interactive Cycle II rose from 60.2% to over 100%. Preschool coverage expanded from 80.3% to full coverage of its target age group. Primary education coverage improved from 91.9% to 95%, while secondary education rose from 77.6% to 84.1%.
Several changes are being implemented this year. Modifications to the Official Uniform Regulation in public schools are now mandatory for all institutions in the system starting with this academic year. Internal regulations have been standardized across schools to provide more support for institutional authorities and ensure consistency.
Measures have also been introduced to improve safety within educational communities, including stricter checks on student bags and clearer guidelines regarding entry and presence at school facilities.
The option for students to advance subjects ahead of schedule has been removed from the Evaluation and Conduct Regulation (REAC). During a press conference, it was announced that a proposal has been submitted to the Higher Council of Education recommending that preschool education begin at age three.
This year will also see the launch of Costa Rica’s first national educational security map through the SABER (SEGURED) platform.
Education funding continues to grow with an approved budget of ₡2,771,516 million for 2026—an increase of more than six percent compared with last year’s allocation.
Three new CEN-CINAI centers will open this term along with fifty new public schools and thirty-one private schools.
A total of 758,228 students will receive meal services at 4,568 educational centers; additionally, IMAS scholarships benefit about 325,660 students while transportation services reach over 161,900 students at more than one thousand three hundred locations.
To address infrastructure needs this year ₡29.85 billion has been allocated for transfers to school boards; another ₡2.5 billion is designated for furniture purchases and maintenance work.
Ninety-nine percent of students now have internet access; fiber optic upgrades were completed at over fifteen hundred sites by early last year as part of efforts toward universal connectivity goals by the end of this academic cycle.
The National Program for Technological Training (PNFT) currently serves more than six hundred thousand students in technology skills development and over three hundred thousand in classroom pedagogical transformation initiatives. As of last year PNFT reached ninety-nine percent coverage among eligible schools; full implementation is expected by end-2026.
To strengthen staffing levels MEP created nearly four hundred new positions this cycle: “This government shows undeniable commitment to education as a driver of development,” officials stated during their announcement.
Other annual events include Poetry Day—held nationwide since executive decree No.25134-C was issued in honor of poet Jorge Debravo—and International Day of Education recognizing education’s role in peacebuilding and development.
On Thursday February 5th the Digital Regionalization Module (ReDi) opens online applications for postsecondary scholarships via https://mep.go.cr/becas-postsecundaria beginning at 7:00 a.m.; requirements can be found on MEP’s website in document DVM-A-DPE-UB-0002-2026.pdf
Additionally MEP recently launched a new website through its Documentation and Electronic Information Department at https://ddie.mep.go.cr/ providing resources for educators and families alike.
Nineteen schools received targeted investments as part of preparations for Limón National Sports Games 2026—a joint effort between MEP and Costa Rica’s Institute of Sport—and digital materials were prepared online supporting primary and secondary students taking standardized tests during February.
