Costa Rica does not have an organization affiliated to IMU. Although there have been formal associations related to the teaching of Mathematics, they have not had regular or continuous activity and do not have an impact on the national educational community.
However, created in 2012, the Mathematics Education Network for Central American and Caribbean (REDUMATE) includes a significant team of mathematics educators from diverse public universities in Costa Rica. This team organized ICMI’s workshop Capacity and Networking Project (CANP 2) in August 2012. Since then, this group of scholars has been the basis for all main activities of REDUMATE such as the Mathematics Education Congresses of Central America and the Caribbean (CEMACYC), different websites (official, Facebook, YouTube, Newsletters, Blog.) Individuals of this team have provided REDUMATE not only with time and work, but also critical logistical leverage and financial support. Most of this group has been associated with the Mathematical Reform Project (see below). This academic group appoints the country representative of Costa Rica for ICMI.
Research in Mathematics Education has been carried out mainly in the country's public universities: The School of Mathematics and Faculty of Education of the University of Costa Rica, School of Mathematics of the National University, School of Exact and Natural Sciences of the State Open University, Department of Mathematics of the Technological Institute of Costa Rica.
An historical background: Sound research was carried out by the Meta-Mathematics Research Program of the School of Mathematics of the University of Costa Rica (founded in 1990). It consolidated a group of important high-level researchers in Mathematics Education. This Program was integrated into the Centre for Mathematics and Metamathematics Research (CIMM) created in 1997 (Angel Ruiz was its Director 1997-2012 -with the exception of one year). Additionally, between 2001 and 2009, a process of building research capacities was generated at the National University: Research Support Project at the School of Mathematics of the National University. All these activities motivated an informal network called first Program and then Center for Research and Preparation in Mathematics Education (CIFEMAT). Members of CIFEMAT carried out the design of a new school curriculum in 2010-2012, that implied ample research. These actions had a decisive influence in the country. See From Metamathematics to a National Curriculum of Mathematics.
Since 2000 there has been the Journal: Mathematics: Education and Internet associated with the Technological Institute of Costa Rica.
Since 2006, Cuadernos de Investigación y Formación en Educación Matemática (a journal associated with the University of Costa Rica) has been a main reference in Latin America for research in this discipline.
Several public and private universities have teacher preparation programs that teach mathematics at both elementary and secondary levels. They grant Bachelor’s and “Licenciatura” (Licence) degrees. However, there are substantial differences in the programs of public and private universities. Public universities have recognized good standards. The quality of the programs in private institutions has been questioned by many education experts [the total number of private universities in Costa Rica exceeds 55 institutions, and several of them provide a very high number of teachers, especially for primary schools].
There is an emphasis on Mathematics Education within a Master's degree program in Mathematics at the University of Costa Rica and a Master's program in Mathematics Education at the National University (recently opened in 2025). The emphasis is on secondary education. There is no specific PhD in Mathematics Education, but several doctoral education programs in public and private institutions include works in Mathematics Education. The country's general “strategy” has been to send students to obtain their doctorates in Mathematics Education at North American, European, Asian or some South American universities.
The School Mathematics Curriculum in Costa Rica has been a central factor in driving changes in universities and in the teaching of Mathematics in the country. It is an on-going process whose description allows us to understand the context of Mathematics Education in Costa Rica.
In May 2012, a new national curriculum (mandatory) was approved for grades 1-12. Its general perspective is the construction of a pragmatic “mathematical competence” (as “understand and use” of Mathematics in diverse contexts) based on higher-order cognitive capacities, increasing levels of complexity of mathematical tasks, and central cross-curriculum emphasis (including use of technology and history of Mathematics, promoting positive attitudes towards Mathematics and its teaching, problem solving, the use of real contexts and mathematical modeling). The curriculum invokes main lessons of international research and good practices, although based on the national context of Costa Rica and its possibilities. Theoretical influences of OECD’s PISA tests, the USA National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Japanese “lesson strategies”, French Didactique of Mathématiques, and the Realistic Mathematics Education have been included, and theoretical results developed by researchers of this country have also been integrated. Competencies are intended to be developed by the pedagogical mediation of diverse education agents, especially teachers. It represents a “quantic jump” in the School Mathematics Curriculum of this country. See Foundations of this curriculum (in English). Also see Lessons from a Mathematical Reform from Central America.
Since 2012, the country has been implementing the curriculum. This has included diverse teacher preparation courses: face-to-face, hybrid-blended, and virtual. It is relevant to mention that all virtual courses were MOOCs or Mini-MOOCs (the latter, focused and short) that were developed beginning in 2014 (among the first ones within Latin America). During 2016-2019 these types of courses were also offered to high school students to support in their preparation for mandatory national examinations. Costa Rica has created multiple online documents and resources to support the diverse education agents to implement the curriculum. Since 2019, a very innovative and dynamic online platform named Mathematics Free Resources has been offered to grades 6-12 students and teachers. It includes topics explanations, examples, practices with extended solutions, recommendations, all with a strong use of very short videos. [These high-quality virtual resources were very useful for Costa Rica during the Covid-19 pandemic]. The elaboration of the curriculum was conducted at the beginning by CIFEMAT, and later, design and implementation were led by the Mathematical Reform Project. There are also contributions to Assessment. Until 2022, the Project formally belonged to the Ministry of Public Education (as “Mathematics Education Reform in Costa Rica”). The curriculum and this reform had the political support of three different national governments and four Ministers of Education (2012-2022).
Since 2012, most universities have adjusted their Mathematics teaching programs to the new curriculum. Thesis, research and outreach projects, have emerged. Many new teachers have been prepared to apply the curriculum. In the country, some educational regions have showed progress, others trouble. Most national and international educational experts support this curriculum. Historically, this is an important base of support.
Since 2018, there has been a profound education crisis in Costa Rica due to national labor strikes (2018-2019), the pandemic (2020-2021) and erratic governmental decisions during 2022 and 2025. This crisis has impacted the Mathematics curriculum implementation as well as all the educational conditions of the country. This crisis added to structural weaknesses of the national education system. There is a loss of around four years in the basic learnings of most students at public schools. A terrible educational deficit very hard to overcome.
Since its inception, this curriculum was thought to be implemented in no less than 20 years. Political will was considered necessary, as well as institutional support. Until 2022 these factors existed. However, for the future those are not certainties. Given the years-long education crisis, compounded by the region’s ongoing structural challenges in implementing an ambitious national curriculum, it remains uncertain how this reform will unfold in the coming years. See Lessons from a Mathematical Reform from Central America.