Costa Rica News – The National Institute of Learning, INA, is maintaining some courses with less than ten students enrolled per year. Last year, only eight, for example, enrolled in the retractor course, seven to become tourist guides in history and culture, and just five in flexographic printing for Art majors.
The institution also offers courses such as bamboo artisan, cattle milker, and western style clothing manufacturing, none of which generate much interest.
INA imparts 281 careers, in total, to 52,911 students. Just 15 of these career paths account for 60% of the enrollment, however. The other 266 programs have just 40% of the student body.
The Union of Workers of the INA faults the administration for the courses without the expected number of students. Some students start a course but dropout because they start on a scholarship that is later cut back or taken away. There is also little promotion of the careers offered.
Additionally, INA has failed to do studies to determine the needs of the labor market. One in three employers believes that INA is not responding to the needs of the productive sector. Perhaps it is for this reason that only 25 out of 100 enrolled in INA get placed in a job related to what was studied.
