Local teachers in Mal Pais and Santa Teresa have to manage several grades at the same time . This project aims to supply additional teachers, classrooms, and textbooks for students at the local schools.
The Mal Pais Education Project is a grass roots initiative established by local residents to raise the standard of education in local public schools and allow further opportunities for residents to access the growing tourist industry. The area of Mal Pais and Santa Teresa is one of the fastest growing areas for tourism in Costa Rica. The towns are growing fast and the population is swelling beyond the capacity of the local schools. The local students attend school for 3 hours per day, and teachers often manage more than one classroom and multiple grades at the same time. This projects aims to supply additional teachers, classrooms, textbooks for the students and access to English language tuition for the local students and adults.. The project also works with local adults to supply additional education to adults to facilitate local community access into the growing tourism trade.