Ofelia Montoya García is a National advisor in the Early Childhood Department of the Ministry of Education in Costa Rica. She works in the Curriculum Design Office, where she helps to guarantee the educational rights of all children in the country. Her role includes designing, supervising and supporting the implementation of curricula, with a current focus on leading the English learning process in early childhood education. She is developing strategies that use technology as learning accelerators, with special intention to reducing gaps in vulnerable communities. Ofelia believes that every action and new knowledge she acquires will have a lasting impact on children, teachers and the education system.
Ofelia´s professional journey began as a preschool teacher. She earned her master’s degree in preschool education and administrative education and worked for more than 20 years as a teacher in Costa Rica’s public system. During this time, she gained valuable experience teaching in both rural and urban communities. She also served as a preschool coordinator in a private school. Later she was selected to support one of Costa Rica’s educational regions in implementing a new national curriculum. In that role, she provided professional development for teachers, helping them bring the curriculum into practice. Her leadership led her to the national level, where she contributed to Costa Rica’s Early Childhood Department, which oversees different strategies to strength early education. She supported the implementation of the national curriculum policy, promoted universal access to preschool education, and advanced initiatives to expand English language acquisition for young children. She now continues to focus on improving educational quality through the use of technology and strengthening classroom learning process, particularly in vulnerable zones.
As a part of this EdTech Fellowship, she seeks to deepen her expertise, exchange ideas with peers, and explore innovative approaches that will enhance early learning in Costa Rica. She views this opportunity as a platform to inspire new strategies and create lasting impact for future generations of children.