The Debates on Education are an initiative of the Jaume Bofill Foundation and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, geared to the promotion of social debate on the future of education. [+]
Abstract
Brazil is the world's fifteenth economic power, but only 71st in terms of education
Brazil has had a tumultuous history, with 200 years of slavery, 70 years of dictatorship and a republic since then, but always with obvious inequalities between the rich and poor. An authentic revolution in education is required in Brazil. For the speaker, education represents the only way to build a modern, supportive and efficient country. His aims are to eliminate illiteracy, to guarantee quality public schooling for all children over four, teacher training, the modernising of schools and teaching methods (including distance education) and the reforming of Brazilian universities, to ensure their ability to respond to the ethical and technical challenges of the 21st century.
The revolution is possible. In a country with 20 million people who are illiterate, it should not come as a surprise that the education problem can be resolved when there are 100 million literate adults, 3 million university students and 1.5 million teachers.
KeywordsBrazil, schooling, education, inequality
Cristovam Buarque has a PhD in Economics, is a professor at the University of Brasilia (where he was Chancellor from 1985 to 1989) and a member of the UNESCO Institute for Education. He is now a senator and one of the leading PDT (Democratic Workers' Party) candidates for the presidency of Brazil.
Buarque was also Brazil's minister of education in 2003.
During his career, Buarque has published twenty books, collaborated on a great number of newspapers and journals and worked as a consultant for a range of national and international bodies. He has also been Chair of the United Nations' University for Peace Council.
Debates on Education:
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