President Nayib Bukele announced that El Salvador will increase its investment in education to 8% of GDP starting next year, marking a major financial commitment to expanding the country’s education modernization program.
“Starting next year, El Salvador will invest 8% of its GDP in education,” Bukele announced, placing increased educational investment at the center of the country’s next phase of development.
The announcement comes after encouraging results from the first 171 public schools included in the national modernization initiative. International education experts have highlighted the progress achieved through an integrated strategy focused on improving learning outcomes.
The program combines quality educational materials, a curriculum centered on foundational learning, teacher training, continuous assessment, and technology and artificial intelligence to strengthen existing educational capabilities.
Jaime Saavedra noted that the results demonstrate that educational quality can improve rapidly when these elements are implemented consistently and with a clear focus on student learning.
The next challenge is to scale the experience nationwide, ensuring that children across El Salvador have access to stronger and more equitable learning opportunities. The increased investment announced by Bukele is intended to provide the financial foundation for that expansion.
With the 8% of GDP commitment, El Salvador is placing education at the forefront of its national development agenda and seeking to translate the early results of its modernization program into a broader transformation of the public education system.