SAN JOSÉ | October 17, 2026. Costa Rica’s public-school enrollment fell by 179,568 students between 2021 and 2026, a 16.5% decrease that officials attribute mainly to declining births.
What the figures and reports show
Education Ministry figures reported by La Nación show enrollment dropping from 1,087,606 in 2021 to 908,038 in 2026. Private-school enrollment rose by 12,535 over the same period to 93,755. The ministry projects public enrollment could fall further to 873,086 in 2027.
Why this matters
Education Minister Leonardo Sánchez Hernández says the growth of private schools explains at most 7% of the public-school decline. Falling fertility, migration, post-pandemic record changes and school dropout also matter. The trend raises practical questions about school closures, teacher deployment and access to education in smaller communities. A forecast for 2027 is not an observed result.
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