In recent years, efforts to improve education in El Salvador have focused on mobilizing resources, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and adapting international best practices to local needs. A World Bank representative highlighted three major achievements: increasing funding for education from various sources, promoting cooperation between government entities and civil society, and introducing educational standards based on successful global models.
"Mobilizing funds to improve education. We helped bring more funding to the country to invest in education. It wasn’t just WB funding, but also from other organizations that want to support El Salvador. What matters is that the money is being well invested in things the country truly needs, such as improving schools, training teachers, and purchasing materials. With a bit more effort, much more could be achieved."
The representative also noted progress in uniting different sectors around common goals: "Promoting collaboration among key stakeholders. We managed to get different entities within the government, civil society, NGOs, and other cooperation partners to agree on working together for education. One important outcome was the consensus that teaching children to read and write well from an early age should be a national priority. Literacy is key to combating learning poverty."
Efforts included bringing in ideas proven effective elsewhere: "Bringing good ideas from other countries and adapting them to El Salvador. We’ve shared ideas that have worked elsewhere in the world, always thinking about how to make them work locally to enhance existing efforts. For example, we helped create clear standards for what children should learn at each grade level, how to better prepare teachers, and how to assess whether students are learning what they need."
A central part of this initiative has been the “Growing up and learning together: comprehensive early childhood development project,” which aims at improving both educational content and environments for young learners.
"This project, which aims to ensure children learn better from the start of their educational journey, marks a turning point for education in the country. Basically, we’re improving what is taught, how it’s taught, where it’s taught, and who supports the learning process so that all children in El Salvador can grow and learn with the best opportunities," said the representative.
Over four years of collaboration with El Salvador's government under this project resulted in several outcomes:
- Setting clear quality standards for early childhood centers.
- Training teachers with new methods suited for brain development during early years.
- Redesigning evaluation systems across educational levels.
- Renovating school facilities for safety and better learning environments.
- Strengthening family involvement through material distribution and parent training.
According to data provided by officials involved with these programs over 62,000 families have received books or materials designed for home-based reading support.
The experience gained may serve as an example internationally: "El Salvador’s commitment to early childhood can inspire other countries around the world... The country has prioritized ensuring all children learn to read, write, and master basic math..."
Standardized rules now define expected outcomes not only for students but also set requirements for teachers and institutions nationwide.
Despite advances made so far—such as establishing frameworks guaranteeing minimum conditions—challenges remain ahead. Extending improvements beyond early childhood into primary/secondary levels will require effective management along with adequate resources; reaching rural communities remains another hurdle.
Ongoing cultural transformation is necessary too: "Much progress has been made in the right direction... Families and schools must work together... One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that progress made is sustained over time..."
Looking forward professionally after leading these initiatives locally since August 2025: "Since August I’ve been part of the education team for Europe and Central Asia... I’ll miss the land of pupusas dearly but I start this new phase with gratitude..."