{"id":15526,"date":"2026-08-13T09:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T14:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=15526"},"modified":"2026-08-13T08:15:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T13:15:45","slug":"panama-education-minister-resigns-amid-uncomfortable-computer-purchase-scrutiny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/politics-government\/panama-education-minister-resigns-amid-uncomfortable-computer-purchase-scrutiny\/","title":{"rendered":"Panama Education Minister Resigns Amid Uncomfortable Computer Purchase Scrutiny"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lucy Molinar announced her education minister resignation on Wednesday, ending her second stint as head of Panama&#8217;s Ministry of Education after 25 months. She said the controversy surrounding a computer procurement program had generated too much noise, and stepping aside would give investigators room to clarify the process. Molinar met with President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino before making her decision public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"776\" height=\"517\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lucy-mulinar-minister-education-776x517-1.webp\" alt=\"lucy mulinar minister of education\" class=\"wp-image-10562\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lucy-mulinar-minister-education-776x517-1.webp 776w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lucy-mulinar-minister-education-776x517-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lucy-mulinar-minister-education-776x517-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lucy-mulinar-minister-education-776x517-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lucy-mulinar-minister-education-776x517-1-450x300.webp 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 776px) 100vw, 776px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">lucy mulinar minister of education by meduca.gob.pa Ministra de Educaci\u00f3n Lucy Molinar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reasons Behind the Education Minister Resignation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Flanked by regional education directors, Molinar framed her departure as a personal choice rather than the result of an internal government conflict. She acknowledged that public discussion of the computer purchases had become a distraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;There is a lot of noise in some issues, particularly the issue of the computers. I prefer to step aside so that everything can be investigated well and clarified, and to make way for a new administration.&#8221; [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She added that she had put her post at the president&#8217;s disposal and described the decision as one that deserves respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OhWmzwt0rI8?cc_lang_pref=en&#038;hl=en&#038;cc_load_policy=1\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;There is a personal decision that we have to respect.&#8221; [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Computer Procurement Review and Legal Next Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/investments\/panamas-third-attempt-at-273m-student-laptop-purchase\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/investments\/panamas-third-attempt-at-273m-student-laptop-purchase\/\">Molinar defended the computer acquisition process<\/a> as transparent, while stating that the Public Ministry should determine whether any irregularity occurred. She confirmed that she personally asked the Public Ministry to carry out the investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Personally, I have asked the Public Ministry to carry out the investigation.&#8221; [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The former minister did not rule out filing legal action over accusations against her. She blamed what she called deliberate misinformation and said she would wait for the investigations to conclude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Truth and lies have no space in the same place. The truth always comes out, but I am free to file the complaints that correspond.&#8221; [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/students-computers-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Students computers\" class=\"wp-image-11644\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/students-computers-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/students-computers-1200x800-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/students-computers-1200x800-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/students-computers-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/students-computers-1200x800-1-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/students-computers-1200x800-1.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students computers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Back-to-Back Leadership Departures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The education minister resignation came one day after Roberto Sevillano confirmed his own exit as administrative vice minister of the Ministry of Education. Sevillano oversaw purchasing, maintenance, technology and other support functions, though no official reasons for his departure were disclosed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Molinar was designated for the post on May 29, 2024 by then president-elect Mulino and assumed office on July 1 of that year. Her first term at the <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/crime-safety\/panama-education-ministry-uncovers-new-fake-diploma-cases\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/crime-safety\/panama-education-ministry-uncovers-new-fake-diploma-cases\/\">Ministry of Education<\/a> ran from 2009 to 2014. During her announcement, regional education directors stood alongside her, signaling continuity among the ministry&#8217;s operational leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Db8NjV6keUl\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Db8NjV6keUl\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Db8NjV6keUl\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by La Prensa Panama\u0301 (@prensacom)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Education Programs and Continuity Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Molinar said the work begun during her tenure remains in motion and that her exit would actually help those processes continue. She credited her team with building a new system and avoided claiming personal ownership of the results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I do not leave any legacy. The team has built a new system with solid processes, with solid structure, that allows Education to improve.&#8221; [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the advances she listed were curriculum updates, teacher training, the recovery of infrastructure projects and efforts to narrow the technology gap. She also said President Mulino thanked her for her work and stressed the need for continuity in education programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Being glued to the chair is the great mistake of many, which I do not want to make.&#8221; [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her departure places Panama&#8217;s education reform agenda under fresh scrutiny as the <a href=\"https:\/\/ministeriopublico.gob.pa\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/ministeriopublico.gob.pa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Public Ministry <\/a>reviews computer contracts and the government prepares to name new leadership. With major initiatives underway, the next administration will inherit both the momentum and the unanswered questions that prompted Molinar to step aside.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lucy Molinar announced her education minister resignation on Wednesday, ending her second stint as head of Panama&#8217;s Ministry of Education after 25 months. She said the controversy surrounding a computer procurement program had generated too much noise, and stepping aside would give investigators room to clarify the process. Molinar met with President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15514,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[6081,6083,6079,6080,6082],"class_list":["post-15526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-politics-government","tag-computer-public","tag-education-minister","tag-education-molinar","tag-ministry-minister","tag-quit"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15526"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15526\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15527,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15526\/revisions\/15527"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15526"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15526"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}