Only 0.54% of Costa Ricans have a technical degree in areas of health, which represents yet another lag in alternative higher education.
For example, it has been found that for every 22 fees for university courses, only one is given for a career with a diploma, which in addition to being short, have quotas to work in various health agencies.
“It is important to increase tertiary education, but increasing it from the point of view of alternative education centers, offering quality graduates,” said Oscar Quesada, from the Institute of Health Sciences (Incisa).
Quesada added that one of the problems is the informality under which some institutes operate.
As part of the efforts to eradicate this informality, the Higher Education Council has managed to regulate graduates, which now have to meet a minimum of 60 college credits and up to 3 years to graduate.
In Costa Rica, the Cinde estimated that for the period 2011-2016, there would be a 28% increase in the requirements for employment and that technical professionals are required in several areas of the health industry. For example, the rate of unemployment in microbiology right now is zero,”
said Quesada.
A study conducted in 2014 found that 15.3% of Costa Rican graduates specializes in the medical field.
On Monday, the V National Forum organized by UCIMED will analyze the challenges faced by the country in this area.
The lag is not only in areas related to health. Costa Rica has the highest rate of alternative education in Central America. However, the delay is exposed when compared with more developed countries, such as Argentina and Chile.