Santa Teresa community expands public school, securing full-time education for 380 students

• A project led by the Nicoya Peninsula Foundation made it possible to build five new classrooms and upgrade the school’s infrastructure.
• The new facilities will be inaugurated on May 27 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Santa Teresa School, in an event open to the community.

The initiative included the construction of five new classrooms and improvements to existing facilities, allowing the school to eliminate its half-day schedule, under which students received only three hours of instruction per day. Until now, the campus could accommodate just 274 students, creating learning gaps and placing additional pressure on families in the area.

The process required close coordination among school leadership, municipal authorities, private companies, technical professionals, and donors, in a collaborative model that carried the project from initial concept through construction.

Public-private partnerships delivering tangible results

The project brought together financial contributions, technical expertise, and institutional management. Key participants included the Cóbano District Municipal Council (CMDC), Hotel Nantipa, the Nicoya Peninsula Foundation, the construction team Grupo ACA, and the Mal País and Santa Teresa Integral Development Association (ADI MP/ST), with the support of several professionals who contributed voluntarily or with their own resources. In addition, the Ministry of Public Education supported the process by formalizing the budget allocation for the hiring of five new teachers who will staff the newly built classrooms.

Also noteworthy is the support of architect Erik Reise, who was responsible for the design, as well as for preparing the plans and supervising the entire construction process through to its completion, donating his work selflessly and with a strong commitment to supporting the community.

This cooperation model made it possible to optimize time, reduce costs, and ensure the project’s viability, including through in-kind donations and the streamlining of municipal procedures. 

For the school principal, Elsie Hidalgo Sánchez, this progress represents a transformation in educational quality. “This change in the school model represents much more than an extension of the school day; it means a real opportunity for transformation for our boys and girls. It opens the door to a more comprehensive, more equitable education, one that is closer to the dreams they deserve to achieve. As an educational community, today we celebrate with deep emotion a historic step that will strengthen learning, human development, and the future of our students” she said.

The impact also extends to the family environment by providing greater stability in students’ daily schedules and better conditions for their academic and social development.

For the Nicoya Peninsula Foundation, the project marks a milestone in its evolution toward larger-scale initiatives with structural impact on communities. Its president, Jennifer Harter Aden, highlighted that this achievement demonstrates the potential of community coordination:

“This project shows the strength of a united community. When public and private sectors work together, they can create sustainable solutions that benefit future generations”.

The organization stated that it will continue promoting similar projects, supported by its active presence in the territory and by strengthening networks of donors and strategic allies.

For more information on how to join these efforts together with the Nicoya Peninsula Foundation (NPF), please contact Roberto de la Ossa at robertodelaossa@gmail.com.