Access to education – especially in Talamanca – is a problem that the government has tried to tackle. Whereas about 45% of "limonenses" possess a high-school degree (about the national average), only about 22% of "talamanqueños" (those from Talamanca) have achieved the same qualification. Recognizing the tie between education and poverty, the government recently launched the "avancemos" education initiative, in which poor and at-risk high-school students are eligible for a national scholarship to help pay for school and therefore reduce the chances of dropping out. As of 2009, about 150,000 students receive a stipend (about 47% of the total public-high-school population). Though not officially linked, the government has reported lower drop-out rates over the past few years.