The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) has opened the application period for the 2026 Mauro Fernández Acuña Award for Teaching Excellence. The award recognizes teachers, administrative teaching staff, and technical-teaching professionals who have demonstrated outstanding professional performance.
Applications will be accepted from January 19 to February 27, 2026. Those interested can find the procedure and application form on the MEP website at https://www.mep.go.cr/galardon-mauro-fernandez-acuna.
This year’s theme is “Equal opportunities in multicultural environments.” To be eligible, applicants must have developed a project, initiative, or activity related to this topic. Projects should show an impact on students and their communities.
The official regulations for the award are outlined in Decree No. 43517-MEP, which can be reviewed at https://pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=96908&nValor3=130062&strTipM=TC.
The award ceremony is scheduled for the second half of April 2026. For questions or further information, individuals can contact [email protected].
According to recent announcements by MEP, there has been an update to enrollment ranges across all levels of public education. This policy aims to place teachers at the center of educational policy and seeks to directly improve learning quality.
Additionally, each February 11 marks International Day of Women and Girls in Science, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The day highlights the importance of women in science and technology fields and encourages participation by girls and young women in STEAM areas—science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
The start of the 2026 academic year also brings new details under the slogan: “School shapes us, writing drives us forward, and values guide us.” MEP announced that services benefiting over 16,000 students will be provided through inter-institutional coordination with MICITT (Ministry of Science), IMAS (Institute for Social Assistance), SUTEL/FONA (telecommunications authorities).
On February 5, 2026, MEP will activate its Digital Regionalization Module (ReDi) for post-secondary scholarship applications. This process replaces previously announced dates and will take place online at https://mep.go.cr/becas-postsecundaria starting at 7:00 a.m., with requirements detailed on the MEP website.
Each year Costa Rica celebrates Poetry Day on January 31 in honor of poet Jorge Debravo’s birthday as established by executive decree since 1996. There is also annual recognition of International Education Day to celebrate education’s role in peace and development.
