Puerto Rico’s first free primary school was founded in the early 19th century in San Juan. The evolution that Puerto Rico has continued in the last few years goes from an agrarian society to one based on the manufacturing and tourist industries. It has generated the need to have qualified labor force. In the 1985-1986 period, public schools had about 427,582 students registered in primary education and 483,852 in secondary education, vocational and pedagogic schools. The University of Puerto Rico, which was founded in 1903, is the oldest higher education institution on the island. It has several branches, mainly in Bayamón, Mayagüez, Ponce, Río Piedras and San Juan. The island has 8 public universities, 27 private universities, 22 professional training centers, and 7 technological and industrial training institutes. Other institutions are: the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (1912) and the University of the Sacred Heart (1935).
