Q COSTA RICA — The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) of Costa Rica issued a mandatory circular introducing a series of guidelines on political and electoral neutrality for teaching and administrative staff in state schools and colleges.
The document, signed by Education Minister José Leonardo Sánchez Hernández and Vice Ministers María Alexandra Ulate Espinoza and Sofía Ramírez González, establishes new prohibitions on addressing political issues during educational activities.
According to the circular released by the MEP itself, the use of classrooms, assessments, civic events, and institutional resources for political propaganda, proselytizing, or indoctrination is prohibited. The directive emphasizes that, while officials retain their individual freedoms, these do not authorize the use of their position, work hours, or pedagogical relationship to influence students’ political preferences or favor political parties, candidates, or ideological positions.
The circular also states: “Teaching staff may not use their authority or influence to induce, pressure, or politically direct students,” according to the official document.
Among the behaviors expressly prohibited by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) are:
- Conducting political-electoral, partisan, or ideological propaganda directed at students, officials, or members of the educational community.
- Using classes, assignments, exams, projects, civic events, murals, posters, digital platforms, or other institutional means to promote or discredit political parties, candidates, public figures, or political movements.
- Inviting, soliciting, or pressuring students to participate in marches, campaigns, meetings, signature drives, surveys, fundraising, or other political activities.
- Incorporating content, questions, or examples into classes or assessments that lead students toward a predetermined political conclusion, when this exceeds or distorts the official curriculum.
- Placing or distributing electoral propaganda within educational institutions or through official channels, except as provided by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE).
- Allowing the entry or presence of external individuals whose purpose is to conduct propaganda, proselytizing, or ideological indoctrination.
The directive clarifies that teachers may address political, social, economic, and institutional issues when these are part of the official study programs. The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) allows the development of content on electoral processes, public institutions, human rights, ideologies, social movements, and historical events, provided that the approach serves academic purposes and does not seek to promote a political position.
To guarantee objectivity, faculty members must present different perspectives, use diverse sources, and foster students’ critical thinking. They are also required to refrain from imposing personal opinions as evaluation criteria or as an institutional position.
La Nación reported that several teachers, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed concern about the wording of the circular, as the language used could allow for loose interpretations that could lead to sanctions or reprisals against those who disagree with the current government.