I received an interesting question from a Norte-Americana (that’s what Costa Rican’s call U.S./Canadians… remember that Costa Rica is in America, so it’s not very polite to call yourself American and pretend that Costa Rican’s aren’t American).
They asked me if home schooling was legal here. It’s a funny question to a Costa Rican. The government just doesn’t meddle in the private life of residents here. The government still believes that it’s purpose is to serve it’s population here in Costa Rica. I know that’s a pretty big shock to the average U.S./Canadian citizen who has the government regulating everything from what kind of milk you can drink to whether you can home school your kids, but it’s true.
So… yes… you can home school your kids here! I know a family who does. They home school both their kindergartener and their teenager.
Their teenager also attends a public school part-time in a program called “Spanish Immersion.” The program is free for touristas (tourists and residents who are using a tourista visa… meaning they leave every 3 months for 72 hours to stay compliant with the immigration laws, but have not applied for residency).
From what I’ve heard, the public schools aren’t that strong on education. You could have a problem if you partially raised a child in the public schools here and then moved back to the U.S. or another western country with a higher education standard.
However, the private schools are often excellent and costs start at just $300/month. You would also want to consider a private school if you wanted a English language curriculum rather than having your child learn Spanish for school.
Private tutors are also readily available. A college educated private tutor would cost somewhere around $600-$1,000 per month. Remember that the average salary for Costa Ricans is about $600/month, so if your income is coming from U.S. sources, you can afford the very best here in Costa Rica.
-James D. Brausch
3 responses so far ↓
1 Cyril // Feb 25, 2008 at 5:03 pm
“From what I’ve heard, the public schools aren’t that strong on education. You could have a problem if you partially raised a child in the public schools here and then moved back to the U.S. or another western country with a higher education standard.”
Hi James, I would like to agree on this with you, but I simply can’t due to several basic facts. Costa Rica spends 6% of its GDP on education, has the highest computer engineer per capita rate in the world, and has become the mecca for US companies looking to outsource high-level work. Additionally, Costa Rica has an actual Ministry of Education, which unfortunately does not exist in the States. I do agree that the schools need better infrastructure, and a bit more technology. In terms of the academics themselves, I don’t think Costa Rica could be “any worse” than the States. Interesting article though!
2 Arp // Mar 6, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Costa Rica is not the mecca for high-level outsourcing - that’s India. But Indian firms are looking to Costa Rica for outsourcing, so CR is certainly rising fast.
If anything, CR is the mecca for call centers, which require good English language skills but need not require major technological skills. Being in a time-zone that is much more US-business-friendly is also a major selling point. However, if I were going to outsource technologically in the Western Hemisphere, I’d take a good look at Argentina before CR.
I’ve heard first-hand accounts of public schools where supplies are low and days often cancelled without warning. However, I’m not a big supporter of public education and I don’t believe an educational system is the single biggest factor in the growth & success of a human being.
3 Arp // Mar 24, 2008 at 4:58 pm
btw - you may want to mention that homeschooling in CR is illegal for children under a certain age (16?). The government doesn’t meddle in general but not sending a kid to school is considered child abuse. Families have had problems after pulling their kids out of school or angering a teacher or a public official. Apparently they are so poorly funded that you can just move (they can’t afford to follow up then), but it’s not a situation that anyone would want to occur repeatedly.
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