Education and Media

Grade School

Base Construction Cost: $4,000
Upkeep: $16
Additional Costs: None
Work Modes: Field Trips (children gain skill in a random profession); Youth Organization (some children become loyalists); Spelling Bee Contests (some children become more intelligent); Obedience Training (reduces the courage of some children)
Worker Requirements: Female, High School
Maximum Workers: 2 Teachers
Available Upgrades: None

The Grade School doesn’t meet specific education requirements, but its work modes can affect your population in some very useful ways.

The Grade School isn’t one of the Intellectual factions major demands, but its construction should help you maintain their Respect.

A fully-staffed Grade School can service up to 12 children, so a single facility is enough to meet the needs of most islands.

The Grade School allows you to increase the intelligence of some children, improve your prospective work force, or guide young Tropicans to various political factions.

Consider building a Grade School early in a mission to take full advantage of its effects.

Both the Grade School and High School require healthy amounts of real estate, so keep that in mind when considering where you place them for accessibility to your citizens.

Newspaper

Base Construction Cost: $5,000
Upkeep: $23
Additional Costs: Blueprint ($2,000)
Work Modes: Financial Times (increases the size and Respect of the Capitalist faction); Voice of the Worker (increases the size and Respect of the Communist faction); Soldado de Fortuna (increases the size and Respect of the Militarist faction); The Word of God (increases the size and Respect of the Religious faction); National Pride (increases the size and respect of the Nationalist faction); Coupons N’More (generates revenue for each reader in the area)
Worker Requirements: Female, College
Maximum Workers: 3 Journalists
Available Upgrades: None

A Newspaper is the most basic media outlet you can establish on an island. When you select this structure from the build menu, the Liberty overlay automatically appears on the screen.

Place a Newspaper in oppressed areas to improve the Overall Happiness of nearby citizens. The Newspaper requires a moderate investment, but it has no Electricity requirements.

Its various work modes provide a great deal of flexibility, making the Newspaper a useful structure in any society.

High School

Base Construction Cost: $8,000
Upkeep: $26
Additional Costs: None
Work Modes: General Education (standard parameters); Parochial Education (slows education by 15 percent, some graduates may join the Religious faction); Military Education (slows education by 15 percent, some graduates may join the Militarist faction)
Worker Requirements: Female, High School
Maximum Workers: 6 Teachers
Available Upgrades: None

The High School is an essential building for every island. As your economy expands, you’ll need High School graduates to serve as factory workers, soldiers, low-ranking bureaucrats, and more.

The High School satisfies one of the major demands of the Intellectual faction, so you’ll usually be asked to build one fairly as your island develops.

A fully-staffed high school can accommodate up to 12 young Tropicans, but remember that not all students will manage to graduate.

To meet the needs of a developing economy, it’s best to establish a High School early in a mission. To boost what a High School and College can do, consider passing the Literacy Program Edict.

Both the Grade School and High School require healthy amounts of real estate, so keep that in mind when considering where you place them for accessibility to your citizens.

Radio Station

Base Construction Cost: $10,000
Upkeep: $33
Additional Costs: Blueprint ($6,000), Electricity (10MW)
Work Modes: Presidente, All Day (increases Respect of nearby citizens); Radio Free Tropico (Increases Liberty of nearby citizens); Bubblegum Pop (generates revenue each month based on young Tropicans in the area), Baja Bachata (generates revenue each month based on uneducated Tropicans in the area); Opera (generates revenue each month based on College graduates living in the area)
Worker Requirements: Female, College
Maximum Workers: 2 Journalists
Available Upgrades: None

The Radio Station improves the Liberty of nearby citizens. When you select the Radio Station from the build menu, the Liberty overlay automatically appears on your screen.

The Radio Station requires a connection to your Electrical grid, but it can be a very profitable structure under the proper conditions.

Use the Radio Station’s various work modes to target specific demographics and maximize its effect on nearby citizens.

College

Base Construction Cost: $12,000
Upkeep: $40
Additional Costs: None
Work Modes: General Education (standard parameters); Parochial Education (slows education by 15 percent, some graduates may join the Religious faction); Military Education (slows education by 15 percent, some graduates may join the Militarist faction)
Worker Requirements: Male, College
Maximum Workers: 6 Professors
Available Upgrades: None

The College offers advanced education for Tropico’s more intelligent citizens. You’ll need College graduates to serve as Generals, advanced service providers, and other high-level positions around your island.

A fully-staffed College can service up to 16 Tropicans, but remember that not all students will manage to graduate.

The College satisfies one of the major demands of the Intellectual faction, and it reduces the need for foreign experts.

A College will help you meet many of the essential needs of your population, but it takes some time to educate your citizens. Try to establish a College before you create too many jobs for highly educated workers.

TV Station

Base Construction Cost: $12,000
Upkeep: $50
Additional Costs: Blueprint ($8,000), Electricity (15MW)
Work Modes: Propaganda TV (increases Respect of all citizens in the area); BBC (increases the Liberty of all citizens in the area); Learning with Larry (workers in the area gain experience twice as fast); Yanqui Sitcoms (generates revenue based on adults in the area); Lucha Libre (generates revenue based on adult males in the area); Russian Soap Op-eras (generates revenue based on adult females in the area)
Worker Requirements: Female, College
Maximum Workers: 3 Journalists
Available Upgrades: None

The TV Station is the most effective way to bring Liberty to your population. Between its various costs and Electricity usage, this building represents a significant investment.

However, it’s various work modes can make the TV Station a very profitable building. When you select the TV Station from the build menu, the Liberty overlay automatically appears on the screen.

Try to place this building in oppressed areas, but make sure the surrounding population is large enough to justify the expense.

Academy of Science

Base Construction Cost: $7,500
Upkeep: $30
Additional Costs: None
Work Modes: Theoretical Research (standard parameters); Educational Standards (less intelligent citizens may graduate, upkeep is doubled); Research Grants (the cost of all blueprints is decreased)
Worker Requirements: Male, College
Maximum Workers: 4 Professors
Available Upgrades: None

The Academy of Science generates clones of El Presidente, which makes this building particularly important for any administration that inspires frequent assassination attempts.

Use its various work modes to minimize the building’s upkeep, increase the number of graduating students, or reduce the costs of blueprints required for advanced structures.

The Academy of Science affects the entire island, so it can be placed in virtually any convenient location.

Radar Dish

Base Construction Cost: $5,000
Upkeep: $30
Additional Costs: Blueprint ($3,000)
Work Modes: Clear the Airwaves (reduces subversive activities); Search for Aliens (increases Intellectual faction Respect by 5 for each Radar Dish); Sell Spy Information (generates annual revenue based on information quality)
Worker Requirements: Male, College
Maximum Workers: 1 Professor
Available Upgrades: None

A Radar Dish allows you to monitor various broadcasts around the island.

The Radar Dish is a particularly effective tool in stifling rebel activities, but it can also be used to generate significant profits or improve your relationship with the Intellectual faction.

A Radar Dish can only perform one function at a time, so consider constructing multiple dishes if your economy can support them.