El Salvador has announced a new step in its educational transformation with the launch of My Painted Classroom, an initiative led by the National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC) in collaboration with the international brand The Little HODLer. The program, unveiled during the Bitcoin Histórico event, will renovate 500 classrooms in public schools across the country, reinforcing the government’s commitment to modern, student-centered learning environments.
The initiative builds upon the ongoing national strategy Two Schools a Day, which has already modernized hundreds of educational centers. The project’s pilot phase is currently underway at El Molino School in Concepción de Oriente, La Unión, serving as the conceptual foundation for nationwide expansion.
The philosophy behind My Painted Classroom reflects the vision articulated by President Nayib Bukele during the inauguration of the National Library (BINAES): “Our public spaces must be better than private ones.” Following this principle, the renovated classrooms aim to provide warm, functional, and inspiring spaces that promote creativity, focus, and personal development.
Each redesigned classroom will feature wooden floors, dynamic interior layouts, and a designated “no-shoe zone,” encouraging cleanliness, respect, and a shift toward mindfulness. “When students take off their shoes upon entering, they adopt a new attitude,” explained Lina Seiche, founder of The Little HODLer. “It’s a simple yet powerful change that teaches them to care for the space.”
Additional components include mini-libraries where students can borrow books, promoting reading habits and responsibility. Small indoor or nearby gardens will also be introduced, with weekly rotations assigning students to care for the plants—fostering discipline, teamwork, and a connection to nature. Inspirational messages, or “magic words,” will be displayed on the walls to cultivate reflection and intellectual curiosity.
Seiche highlighted El Salvador’s pioneering role in financial education: “Together with the Bitcoin Office, we wrote the world’s first financial literacy program for elementary school students. In El Salvador, seven-year-olds are learning about money. Name me another country that does this.”
The project’s conceptual phase was funded by Fulgur Ventures, an international firm that supports educational innovation. Although the initiative is part of the broader What is Money? program, My Painted Classroom marks a significant expansion into holistic educational development.
“What we’re doing here is unique in the world,” Seiche affirmed. “Other governments are already showing interest in replicating it, but to get here, we needed a pioneering country. That country is El Salvador.”
She also emphasized the country’s efficiency in executing major projects: “People say the bigger the project, the bigger the bureaucracy. Don’t believe them. I asked the president how he does so much so quickly, and he said, ‘Common sense and good intentions.’ Don’t overcomplicate things. Just do them.”
The announcement at Bitcoin Histórico once again highlighted El Salvador’s leadership in Bitcoin education, innovation, and human-centered development, reinforcing its position as a global reference in emerging technologies and modern public policy.
