El Salvador’s Ministry of Education (Mined) is set to introduce cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and Bitcoin into the curriculum of public schools this year. The initiative will begin with a pilot program in 50 schools across the department of La Libertad, thanks to collaborations with ARK Educate, the Bitcoin Office, My First Bitcoin, and The Little Hodler.
https://twitter.com/CathieDWood/status/1795602597522616559
In 2025, the pilot program will offer students training in AI and robotics as part of the Science and Technology subject, while a module on financial education and Bitcoin will be included in the Social Studies curriculum. Each student will receive three hours per week of lessons, with the first two modules covering the fundamentals of AI and robotics. The course will culminate in a hands-on project, «Innovation Solves Problems,» designed to give students practical experience.
This program comes as part of a broader partnership forged in 2024 when Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Investments, met with President Nayib Bukele and Mined officials to discuss educational initiatives in El Salvador. ARK Educate, an educational NGO founded by Wood, will provide expert training for teacher trainers starting this Monday, ensuring the effective transfer of knowledge to the science and technology educators.
El Salvador’s public schools already provide students with computers and internet access to facilitate learning, allowing the program to seamlessly integrate interactive tools and technology in the classroom.
Minister of Education José Mauricio Pineda expressed that this curriculum will be the first in Latin America to include such important emerging technologies as AI, robotics, and Bitcoin. He emphasized that the program will be evaluated throughout 2025, with the goal of expanding nationwide in 2026.
Additionally, the Ministry of Education will introduce a new educational book on financial literacy and Bitcoin, aimed at second and third graders. The book, developed by the Mined curricular team alongside experts from The Little Hodler and Mi Primer Bitcoin, will teach students about the history of money, budgeting, saving, and Bitcoin’s role in modern financial systems.
High school students will also have access to extracurricular programming opportunities, such as coding boot camps and Bitcoin node installation courses, with initiatives like Node Nation expected to reach 20,000 students by the end of 2025.
By integrating these technologies into the educational framework, El Salvador is preparing its students with the skills needed to thrive in the future workforce.
