Schools in Costa Rica and Colombia face structural risks

Educational institutions in Costa Rica and Colombia are facing structural risks due to environmental and seismic factors.

In Ciudad Quesada, Costa Rica, the Los Ángeles school has closed four classrooms, including a preschool area, due to constant landslides on the north side of the building. To protect students and infrastructure, the school has relocated students to other areas. The administration estimates that constructing a retaining wall will cost between 163 million and 175 million colones. A new study from the Ministry of Health is required to obtain the sanitary order necessary for the Ministry of Public Education to proceed with financing.

In Cúcuta, Colombia, the Club de Leones school (Santa Ana campus) is facing potential wall collapses. Local leaders report that the walls exhibit cracks and an outward tilt, conditions exacerbated by recent earthquakes and a lack of maintenance. While municipal officials visited the site, parents expressed concern that only yellow caution tape was used to restrict access. Some officials suggested the damage may stem from tree roots, but community members noted the school has lacked state investment for five years, alongside deteriorating bathroom facilities.