Education in Brazil

Brazil

Education in Brazil is regulated by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, which defines the guiding principles for the organization of educational programs. Local governments are responsible for establishing state and educational programs following the guidelines and using the funding supplied by the Federal Government. Brazilian children must attend school a minimum of 9 years, however the schooling is usually inadequate.

The 1988 Brazilian Constitution states that “education” is “a right for all, a duty of the State and of the family, and is to be promoted with the collaboration of society, with the objective of fully developing the person, preparing the individual for the exercise of citizenship and qualifying him/her for work”.

The National Educational Bases and Guidelines Law enacted in 1961 says that, “national education, inspired in the principles of freedom and in the ideals of human solidarity, has the purpose of:

• understanding individual rights and responsibilities, as well as those of citizens, the State and other community groups;
• respecting man’s dignity and fundamental freedoms;
• strengthening national unity and international solidarity;
• integral development of the human personality and his/her participation in the work towards common welfare;
• preparing individuals and society to master scientific and technological resources which will allow the use existing possibilities to common welfare;
• protecting, disseminating and expanding cultural heritage;
• condemning any unequal treatment resulting from philosophical, political or religious belief, as well as any social classes or racial prejudices.

• History
• Situation
• Organization and structure
  • Pre-School education (Educação Infantil)
  • Fundamental Education (Ensino Fundamental)
  • Secondary Education (Ensino Médio)
  • Higher Education (Ensino Superior)
• Teacher training and qualification
  
• Educational Contents and Learning Strategies for Living Together in the 2st Century
  
• References

Education in South America
Sovereign states	Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Panama1 · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago1 · Uruguay · Venezuela
Dependencies	Aruba1 / Netherlands Antilles1 (Netherlands) · Falkland Islands / South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK) 2 / French Guiana (France)
1 Territories also in or commonly reckoned elsewhere in the Americas (North America and/or Central America). 2 Territories also in or commonly reckoned to be in Antarctica.