Initiatives to enhance educational transformation in Panama’s provinces

Education is one of the most powerful tools for reducing poverty, promoting equality, increasing productivity and driving sustained and quality growth in countries. In this sense, and as part of the actions of Panama’s government to expand opportunities for access to quality primary and secondary education, two new schools were inaugurated: the “Joaquín José Vallarino Espinosa” school in the District of Mariato, and the “Padre Juán José Casanovas” school in the District of Atalaya, in the province of Veraguas.

These schools will serve more than 1,300 students combined, with 35 classrooms, computer rooms, labs for science, languages, physics, chemistry and arts, as well as large sports facilities, furniture and equipment for academic and learning activities, among other educational infrastructure.

During the delivery ceremony, the President of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, noted: “The new facilities have the potential to lead our students to become great professionals and great athletes.” He further emphasized: “The vision behind these projects is to prevent families from having to move to other cities in order for their children to receive a better education.”

Both institutions are part of the group of eight schools being built and renovated in the provinces of Panama, Panama Oeste, Chiriquí and Veraguas, in the framework of Panama’s Educational Infrastructure Expansion and Modernization Program, which boasts USD 100 million funding from CAF.

These eight new schools will have 283 classrooms and more than 9,000 students beneficiaries of the CAF-led educational transformation project, which includes, in addition to the two newly opened schools, two facilities already in operation since 2018: the “Josefa Montero de Vásquez” General Basic Education Center, (Boquete, province of Chiriquí), and the “Fernando Guardia Jaén” Bilingual Integral Training Center (Pacora, province of Panama), as well as four more schools currently under construction.

The above-mentioned projects are part of CAF’s Education Agenda, which guides the technical and financial assistance actions carried forward by the institution to develop initiatives that enhance access to education, improve quality at all levels and improve the relevance of the educational offering in Latin America and the Caribbean.