Study. DERG Papers, Number 4.

costa Rica:sillniversidad Estatal a Distancia (USED), the education sfstem in the country, ind,information on Costa Rica are considered. UNED is helping to equalize.geograithical inequalities.of access to higher education. Overall, UNED's academic programs have been aimed at, those who-want to obtain professional qualifications. In the fifst semester 1979, 75.4 percent of UNED's employed students came from the professional, administrative, and managerial classes. Data suggest that UNED is not providing increased educational opportunitites for the economically depTived.41though the direct cost of studying at USED is lessrthan that ef the other universities,%the lack_of grants available to`UNED students effectively bars the poorer members of society from pursuing a degree-course with the university. he university initially conOntrated on the.development of a series professionally oriented deg$e and diploma programs and also d ve/oped.extension studies programi and la free stud4es prograd. Mor