The National Development Plan for 2015/2018 rightly sees education as a key means to turn these negative trends around and put the country back on the path of strong, inclusive growth. These huge steps forward in expanding access need to be matched by an equally strong push to improve education outcomes. Learning achievement, as measured by the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), is low, with the result that too many young Costa Rican’s leave school with inadequate preparation for work and further learning. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds and regions are the most likely to lack basic skills, contributing to widening income disparities and labour market duality'.