Education System Threatens Brazil's Progress

Students at the Jornalista Freitas Neto school

With a rapidly expanding middle class, Brazil is the world’s eighth largest economy and one of the fastest growing nations. The country is experiencing unprecedented prosperity, with substantial recent growth in wages, per capita income and employment.   Yet, it struggles with an educational system that threatens future expansion.

While the nation has made limited progress in educational indicators, conspicuous deficits persist, according to a report by the Ministry of Education.  The most recent data available indicates illiteracy rates have dropped in recent years. Yet, marked variations in literacy exist between regions and races.  Overall, the illiteracy rate is approximately 8 percent.  Yet, in the Northeast region, 21.9 percent of the population is illiterate.  Further, the illiteracy rate among blacks and those of mixed-race is twice that of whites. 

 In an international student assessment, Brazilian 15-year-olds tied for 49^th out of 56 nations in reading; scores in math and science were even lower, according to a report in Taipei Times. 

The education system is Brazil is decentralized and highly fragmented.  According to a presentation by Mario do Pilar Lacerda of the Ministry of Education, the approximately 5,500 local municipalities – comparable to cities – govern pre-school and elementary education.  The 26 states manage the high schools, but are also involved in elementary and higher education.  The federal government administers the college system.  Many children from affluent families attend private elementary and secondary schools.

This one room schoolhouse includes living space for the teacher and his family

While progress is slow – too slow by many analysts’ standards - schools across the nation show improvement.  Both the federal government and private industry have implemented programs and are working diligently to improve the quality of education and outcomes for Brazilian students.

In 2001, the federal government established a comprehensive, ten-year National Education Plan. The plan views education as a right, as a tool of economic and social development and as a factor of social inclusion.  The program included four main goals: to increase the level of schooling across the population, to increase the quality of instruction at all levels, to reduce social and regional inequalities and to democratize the management of public education.

Meanwhile, Bolsa Familia, a social welfare program designed to assist poor families, requires children to attend school at least 85 per cent of the time for the family to receive benefits. This has resulted in an increase in enrollment.  There is no indication, however, student outcomes has increased due to this program.

The original National Education Plan expired this year, with many goals unmet.  According to Education Minister Fernando Haddad, many of the original goals were “not reasonable.”  An updated plan sets new targets to be achieved by 2020. The new plan increases the public investment in education to 7 percent of the budget.  It includes specific strategies to achieve each goal that can be applied to all levels of government.

While the 2011-2020 Education Plan includes 20 goals, appreciation and development of teachers is a central component.  Without quality teachers, students cannot thrive.  Currently, in many remote areas of Brazil, teachers are poorly educated and poorly compensated.  “The Brazilian teachers still earn on average 60 percent of top-level professionals.  We want to shorten the distance so that the teaching career does not lose talent to other professions,” Haddad said.

The plan also includes goals to increase levels of literacy, school attendance, quality of instruction at all levels, greater cooperation between branches of government and enrollment in higher education.

In spite of efforts at reform, many believe the educational system is impairing future economic growth.  According to an article in infosurhoy.com, the economy is exploding faster than potential employees can be trained.  It cites a federal study indicating that 22 percent of those seeking jobs in 2010 did not have the skills required for even entry-level jobs.

This study confirms a concern among business and industry about whether the educational system will allow Brazil to be competitive with other emerging economic powers.   

A kindergarten classroom at a school run by Bradesco

In response to these concerns, many private businesses are working together to improve training and education.  Brazil’s second largest bank, Bradesco, operates a foundation that runs schools, develops new teaching methods and offers scholarships to needy children.  Other companies partner with public schools to improve quality.

Eighth grade students at a Bradesco school work in a modern science lab

Todos Pela Educacao, or Education for All, is a movement sponsored by industry and other private enterprise that aims to increase the quality of education.  It believes Brazil will only thrive when all individuals have access to superior training.  The organization has partnered with media and ads attempting to increase social demand for quality education run on major outlets.

With a target date of 2022, Todos Pela Educacao has five measurable goals: to have every youth (ages 4 to 17) enrolled in school, to ensure all children are fully literate by the age of 8, to have all students learning at grade level, to have all students complete secondary education by 19, and to increase national investment in education.

Efforts and initiatives by both government and business are having a positive effect and stimulating progress in improving standards.  While progress is sluggish and often seems stalled, it is substantial.

Students work on a diction exercise in a second grade classroom

With over 1,000 elementary schools and approximately 300 nursery schools, Rio de Janeiro has the nation’s largest municipal school system,.  A 2009 study by Claudia Costin, Rio’s Municipal Secretary of Education found that, out of 700,000 students in the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th grades, nearly 30,000 were illiterate.  Costin embarked on a program of reform at 150 schools in the poorest, crime-ridden neighborhoods. Termed Schools of Tomorrow, they offer students a full day in classes (from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), science labs, specially trained teachers, health services, internet access and more.  While it is early to gauge results, school attendance at these schools has increased dramatically and they are meeting key targets.

While notable regional inequalities still exist, there is cause for hope.  Descendents of runaway slaves, the Kalungas live in impoverished conditions in the northeast region.  They have always existed on the margins of society and education.  A school was built in 1985, but there was no electricity until 2004.  Just this May, the first class of high school students graduated.  Most of the students intend to continue on to higher education.

While the advances are slow, they are significant. The government and private enterprise both recognize the problems and are addressing them.  The citizenry is eager for change.  Meaningful progress, such as is occurring in Rio and with the Kalungas, will enable Brazil to train a 21^st century workforce and realize its potential as an economic force.