The only country in South America whose language and culture come from Portugal is the Federative Republic of Brazil.Pedro Alvares Cabral found the country Brazil around the 1500s. Its territory comprises about half of South America, making it the fifth biggest country on the planet.Brazil stands at the fifth position as one of the highly populated countries in the world, with a population of almost 212 million people.The country is known for its abundant natural and mineral resources. It has metropolitan centers, established industrial and hydropower complexes, and rich land; Brazil is regarded as one of the world’s most productive countries. At the same time, Brazil has had to deal with several internal issues in the past, including a lack of political and economic stability, extended periods of high inflation, and uncontrolled population expansion.As a result of these causes, Brazil has serious problems with its education system. Brazil’s education system has had its share of setbacks, but it continues to have a positive perspective as the country works to develop. Brazil has one of the highest proportions of adults without a secondary education among all OECD and partner nations. However, this does not take away from the fact that its citizens are attempting to obtain an education, nor does it negate the government’s efforts to change it.Brazil ranks 32nd in the world for education, but the government has undertaken 21 steps to bring about positive changes in the education system through the Plano Nacional de Educacao (PNE).After reading these interesting educational facts about Brazil, also check out Brazil economy facts and Brazil deforestation facts.History Of The Brazil Education SystemIn 1549, the Jesuits from the Companhia de Jesus (Company of Jesus) came to Brazil, marking the beginning of the country’s educational history.In Salvador, Bahia, the Jesuits established the first Brazilian primary school. They followed the educational ideals outlined in Friar Inácio de Loyola’s Ratio Studiorum, an educational document he wrote and supported. The activity of the Jesuits was motivated not only by educational objectives but also by a religious goal: to promote the Christian faith among the indigenous people. The Jesuits were in charge of Brazil’s whole educational system for 210 years.Their basic and secondary schools were of reputable quality, and some secondary schools even offered post-secondary education. In Brazil, the Jesuits established several missions to teach and catechize the indigenous people. These missions would aid individuals in their efforts to free themselves from slavery.The Marquis of Pombal, King José I’s minister, expelled the Jesuits from Portugal and its colonies in 1759, causing the first schism in the Brazilian educational system. The Catholic educational system established by the Jesuits in the colony clashed with the Marquis’ business objectives. Pombal believed that education should be used to benefit the state rather than the church. Pombal founded the subsidies literário (literary subsidy), a tax to fund primary and secondary education, as well as the aulas régias, which taught Latin, Greek, and rhetoric as an alternative to the Jesuit system.Pombal’s new educational initiatives, on the other hand, had little effect, and by the turn of the 19th century, Brazil’s educational system had become stagnant. In Brazil, the 20th century was a time of change for education.Brazilian educators, influenced by European positivism, enacted a series of reforms and regulations that returned to the government the obligation of administering the country’s basic schools. The University of Sao Paulo was the first Brazilian university, founded with the help of French and German researchers and structured after the French model.The government intends to oversee and enhance the quality of education throughout Brazil by evaluating the effectiveness of schools and institutions.Steps Taken To Improve Education In BrazilRealizing the fact that teachers play a vital role in educating students, Brazil increased the quality and training of teachers. New teaching standards, higher-quality teacher training programs, and textbook screening have been implemented by the Ministry of Education. It is the ministry that funds education. In 2017, 6.32% of GDP was invested in education.Brazilian government authorities have collaborated with non-governmental groups to support or manage teachers and schools.With the help of U.S. and Brazilian education experts, presidents of several Brazilian companies came together for a program called ‘All For Education’ and enlisted academic and media partners to assist in promoting education as a national priority, and education jumped from seventh to second place in a CNO/IBOPE survey.Problems In Brazil’s Education SystemOne of the biggest issues with Brazil’s education system is that racial barriers are woven into societal constructions that prohibit people from learning.This is problematic since societal structural forces make these educational tools difficult to get.Another issue for Brazil is that it is one of the few countries that lack reliable educational statistics. Nonetheless, there are far too few children attending elementary school. Only 88.7% of primary school students complete their education, while over 600,000 primary school children are out of school.Details On Elementary School Education In BrazilPrimary education is obligatory in Brazil between the ages of 7-14, and it is also free in public institutions. Children belonging to the age of six can attend optional Educaço Infantil before enrolling in Ensino Fundamental, a five-year primary school.After completing a year of reading, kids focus on studying Portuguese, geography, history, arithmetic, science, arts, and physical education. This core curriculum may be tailored to match specific student requirements and skills.The curriculum for Ensino Fundamental Two is similar to that of Ensino Fundamental One, except that two foreign languages (typically English and Spanish) are included. 800 hours of activities must be completed within five-hour weekdays. Each class is still taught by a single teacher. In Ensino Fundamental Two, many teachers can be allotted.Secondary education is another type of education that takes place. Ensino basic phases one and two must be completed before enrolling in Ensino Médio high school. Professional training courses, like agriculture, are being added in tandem during years two and three.Brazil recognizes that the quality of its vocational training is critical to its competitiveness. The government launched an ambitious goal in April 2011 to develop eight million additional vocational training opportunities by 2014.Along with a high school diploma, a competitive vestibular entrance examination is required for admission to university institutions. Undergraduate bachelor degrees take four years to complete. School instructors must complete a four-year Licenciatura program. Others decide to do a two to four-year technological program. The standard spectrum of graduate education is also available.School education in Brazil may contain some social and regional disparities. There are public schools and a private school system for Brazilian students. Private schools start from pre-school education, primary schools, and lower secondary education to upper secondary education just like public universities and university centers for international students. There has been educational reform in the public university fundamental education system since fundamental education is a basic necessity in today’s life.Schools in rural areas have a school year planned around the agricultural seasons. More than one school system is available for Brazilian children due to the public spending on this sector.In Brazilian institutions, there are tertiary institutions, private universities, and federal universities. In the school system, private universities are a bit more expensive than public universities, which are managed by their public spending. The entrance exam for higher education is tough.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 21 curious Brazil education facts then why not take a look at curious Brazil climate facts or 11 schools in Brazil facts that you probably haven’t heard before.
The only country in South America whose language and culture come from Portugal is the Federative Republic of Brazil.
