VIRRILLA BRIDGE ON THE COSTA RICA RAILWAY WHICH CONNECTS SAN JOSE WITH 
PUERTO LIMON, CHIEF PORT ON THE ATLANTIC COAST 
SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY LEADING FROM COSTA RICA'S CAPITAL CITY TO PAN 
AMERICAN AIRWAY'S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT SANTA ANA 
28 
EDUCATION 
The concentration of population in the highlands of Costa Rica favors a 
centralized and efficient school system at the head of which is the Secretary 
of Public Education. Technical supervisors carry on the administrative work 
with the aid of provincial and district boards of education, there being 640 
of the latter. The local boards, whose members are appointed by the munici¬ 
pal authorities, are specially charged with the maintenance of buildings and 
equipment, hygiene, attendance and statistics. The allotment for education, 
"REPUBLICA DE CHILE" SCHOOL IN SAN JOSE 
Costa Rica ranks among the leading nations of the world in public education 
which amounts to more than 20 percent of the national budget, represents a 
per capita cost of $1.25, as compared with a per capita cost of fourteen cents 
for the army. 
Elementary education is free and compulsory for children between the ages 
of 7 and 14 years. All public and private elementary schools are under the 
direction of the Council of Primary Education, presided over by the Secretary 
of Education. The public elementary schools number 606 with an enrollment 
of 54,750 children, nearly 68 percent of which are located in the three provinces 
of San Jose, Heredia, and Alajuela. Teachers are given considerable liberty 
in adapting the official course of study to local conditions, and enjoy privileges, 
29 
