The Costa Rican Comptroller’s Office (CGR) has taken on the challenge of inspiring citizens to be proactive in exercising their rights and understanding their responsibilities.

The “Juntos Somos Mas” (Together We Are More) campaign was launched last year and works mainly through public schools to instill the civic notions of public responsibility, working for the common good, non-discrimination, efficient use of public resources, and other aspects related to curbing the prevalence of corruption in the country, according to program information provided by the CGR.

Silvia Solís, Juntos Somos Mas program manager, said the work in schools is slowly growing, and that her office is developing an on-line teacher training site so teachers throughout Costa Rican can include the program in their curriculum.

Kids aged 4-12 receive a year-long supplemental program, which, if their class finishes all the steps, receive an “Integrity Award.” In the Alejandro Rodriguez Rodriguez primary school in Aserrí last year as part of the program, a third grade class learned about saving electricity in their class and school, and then transferred their knowledge to their homes with many bringing in bills to show the savings their families had experienced.

Last year it was the first participant in the program, and this year three others join on (Escuela Roosevelt, in San Pedro, San José, Escuela Cubujuquí in downtown Heredia, and the Rafael Francisco Cejo School in downtown San José) for a coverage of 1,800 students, said Solís in an interview.

Older kids aged 12 – 17 in several pilot schools can be selected to participate in a youth comptroller program, again with the aim of creating awareness about their role in society, how to be proactive members of their school and community, and learning values such as honesty, integrity and critical thinking to counter corruption.

Through the program, youth comptrollers find ways to improve a situation or solve a problem within their school, and then, ideally take the solution beyond the classroom to educate other students and into their community. Last year, students at the Liceo de Costa Rica tackled the use and waste of paper in the school by recommending strategies for reducing, reusing and recycling.

Solís said the program aims to inculcate the idea that “We should take care of things because they belong to all of us,” saying individualistic beliefs lead students to not view common property as something they need to care for.

This is done through year-long trainings that include team work skills, public speaking skills, research and problem-solving techniques, and other topics such as legal rights, corruption, public goods, and other relevant topics.

This year, three high schools join the downtown Liceo de Costa Rica – the Heredia public high school, the Aserrí public high school and the José Joaquin Vargas Calvo high school in San Pedro, San José.

A total of 120 youth were selected to participate, about 30 at each school. The total student population of these four high schools is about 2,800.

The Comptrollers office has provided 30 hours of training to teachers at these schools so they can carry out the curriculum effectively, said Solís.