On April 15th, 1869, the article was incorporated into the Constitution: "primary education of both sexes are compulsory, free and paid by the State". With this event, the declaration of compulsory education for both sexes paid by the State of Costa Rica is promulgated. That was further ratified by the country’s Constitutions in 1871 and 1949. The 150th anniversary of this historic declaration was commemorated last Monday 22th April, in an emotive ceremony with the presence of the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Mr. Carlos Alvarado Quesada.

Recalling that 2019 is the Year of Education, the president reaffirmed the need for reach a bilingual Costa Rica, that allow the country to will be successfully incorporated into the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Alvarado motivate to continue working together for Costa Rican education with the vision that President Jesus Jimenez had 150 years ago, to delineate the course of Costa Rica for better future.

Costa Rica made education both free and mandatory for all its citizens. Since that time, the country's education system has grown to include more than four thousand schools. Over the last three decades the country has invested nearly 30% of its national budget in primary and secondary education. The literacy rate is 95% in residents age 15 and older, and the country boasts more teachers than policemen.