Big Steps in a Big Country: Brazil Makes Fast Progress Toward EFA Brazil is one of the few large countries in the world to make real progress toward EFA over the course of the 1990s. Remarkably, it did this during a period of low GDP growth, economic instability and tight budgets. Brazil's success is thus an encouraging precedent for countries facing similar constraints, and it underscores the message that by focusing on policy reform, and making difficult choices consistent with policy objectives, countries can achieve renewed momentum towards EFA. May 2003 Progress Highlights lower than for those from high-income families; this primary education. Government taxes are collected and ates its education system through surveys, data collec- gap has now been reduced to only six points. Gender redistributed to provide a minimum per student expendi- tion, and research. The results are openly available to the By the year 2000, Brazil had almost achieved universal parity has now been largely reached for primary and ture amount. With stable funding assured, state and public, are published on the Internet, and are dissemi- primary enrollment for Grades 1-4, and more than 50 secondary schooling. An enormous gap remains at municipal secretariats are able to conduct long-term plan- nated throughout the country. The country conducts a million Brazilians were enrolled in the country's educa- the tertiary level, however, where only 18% of the ning for their education systems. However, Brazil's experi- student census, student assessment tests, the evaluation tion system. From 1970 to 2000, 32 million additional students are female, and this will need to be the ence also shows the power of negative incentives, and of tertiary level courses, and the secondary level student students entered school, two-thirds of them during focus of concerted efforts for years to come. the unintended consequences that can result: the cre- exit examination. The National Integrated System for the last two decades. Over a five-year period (1996- ation of the FUNDEF excluded preschool and inadver- Education Information (SIEd) promotes the decentraliza- 2000), while primary schooling continued to make tently created a very strong incentive at the municipal tion of the education census and its results. important gains, enrollments in secondary and tertiary Eliminating Inequality in Primary Net level against financing preschools. As a result, enrollment education in Brazil grew at the astonishing rate of Enrollments in preschool declined by nearly two million between 1996 The National System for Evaluation of Basic Education 43% and 44% respectively. 99% and 2000. (SAEB) is a standardized testing system implemented in 98% 1995. SAEB tracks student learning in both language 97% 97% 95% The Direct Transfers to Schools Program (PDDE) sends skills and mathematics. The test is administered every two Primary School Net Enrollment Rates 93% 94% money directly to schools to be spent according to their years and is given to children in the 4th and 8th grades. needs. This stands in contrast to previous funding that The National Secondary School Exam (ENEM) is adminis- 97% 87% 92% was disseminated from the central government. To be eli- tered during the final year of secondary school. 83% 86% 83% gible for the funds, schools must: (i) enroll more than 150 74% students; (ii) hold a bank account in which the funds can To identify areas in which quality can be improved, Brazil 62% 75% be deposited; and (iii) have a school council to oversee is evaluating its education system on many fronts. This 50% 1992 2001 use of the funds. The program provides schools with has increased awareness and improved the level of 34% 40% 31% 5th quintile -- 20% richer resources while empowering the community to better accountability. The focus of the education debate is now spend them, shifting more power to the local level. not only on inputs, but, increasingly, on learning out- 4th quintile 3rd quintile comes. The figure compares the results of 15-year-olds in 2nd quintile 1st quintile -- 20% poor 1981 1985 1990 1995 1999 In some states, school directors are now being chosen Brazil to those in OECD countries. through a combination of technical examinations and First through Fourth Grade elections by the school community. By allowing communi- Fifth through Eighth Grade Financing and Decentralization ties ownership of these decisions, the communities and Percentage of Students Reaching the Median their education leaders become more accountable to Score for Reading and Math For the most part, the government did not make signifi- each other. OECD OECD Many developing countries face problems with age- cant new financing available to the education sector, but grade distortion. Largely because of high repetition relied on reallocations from higher education and better Quality Issues rates, age-grade distortion in Brazil is about 10 per- management of funds through formula-driven, decentral- cent country-wide, and almost 40 percent in the ized transfers for basic education. From 1995 through In conjunction with other reforms, the government is 50% 50% northeastern part of the country. An innovative pro- 1999, federal expenditure in higher education fell from focusing on teachers as one of the important factors of gram called Accelerated Learning has been imple- US$3.6 billion to US$3 billion, even though higher edu- student learning. Teachers are often poorly qualified and Brazil Brazil mented to address this issue. Under this program, the cation enrollments were expanding rapidly. This policy underpaid, resulting in low motivation. New teacher edu- 11% 4% federal government finances the creation of special remains controversial. Other funds for educational reform cation programs promote assessment and evaluation. A reading math classes for over-aged students with the objective of came from largely eliminating negotiated transfers. Teacher Education Institute (ISE) was recently established reducing the age-grade distortion and freeing up to increase the quality of teacher education. Using an space in public schools. By year 2000 there were To improve accountability among its various levels, the internationally proven approach, the institute focuses on already 1.2 million students enrolled in accelerated Ministry of Education underwent a fiscal realignment and teacher development and incentives and ensures that the Brazil participated in the OECD study in part because of learning programs in all Brazilian states. decentralization. The financing of education was re- teachers have, at least, completed secondary education. its determination to increase learning quality in line with organized and the responsibilities of the three levels of international comparators. In spite of this new focus, Brazil has significantly reduced education inequality government were more sharply defined. The National An Education Management Information System (EMIS) however, test scores unexpectedly declined between over the past decade. The gap between enrollments Fund for Fundamental Education Development and has been established to collect reliable and timely data-- 1997 and 1999 in all states in the country. It is unclear of children from low- and high-income levels has Improvement of the Teaching Profession (FUNDEF) was this is of critical importance in decision-making and plan- what this represents, since many input measures show been decreasing. In 1992, enrollment of students established. FUNDEF is the principal channel by which ning processes, including the transfer of funding to marked increases. The lower test scores could represent from low-income families was 22 percentage points funding is provided to schools. It specifically benefits schools. The Ministry of Education monitors and evalu- "growing pains", or the new reality that many are now Education in Brazil Socio-Economic Indicators: Education Indicators: Population (millions) 172.4 (2001) Adult illiteracy rate (population 15 and older) 12.7% (2001) Percent below poverty line 22% Primary gross enrollment rate 162.3% (2000) (48.5% of those enrolled are female) GNP per capita US$ 3,070 (2001) Primary completion rate 71.3% (2000) IDA/IBRD IBRD Secondary gross enrollment rate 108.5% (2000) PRSP No (53.3% of those enrolled are female) HIPC No Tertiary gross enrollment rate 16.5% (2000) (18% of those enrolled are female) Total education spending as % of GDP 4.7% (2000) coming from the poorest areas, which have historically Strong leadership makes a difference--it is unlikely low enrollments and weak pre-school programs. It may that Brazil would have shown the progress it has, also be that the process of "retooling", as new programs without focused, determined leadership at the highest are adapted and teachers learn new methods and new level, including a proactive, reform-minded minister approaches, is simply more complex than initially believed. There is some evidence that scores are beginning to School improvement programs must go hand in hand rebound; a focus on continued improvements to pre- and with programs to ensure the availability of stable in-service teacher education will be critical to ensuring financing at the school level--Brazil's experience that teacher motivation remains high, and that gains in shows what can be achieved when schools have con- quality keep pace with gains in access to education for all trol over needed resources students. Similarly, it will be important to ensure that pre- school enrollments reverse the declines of the late 90's. EFA gains will lead to pressures at higher levels of the Otherwise, it will be difficult to achieve needed improve- system--this is a natural outgrowth of EFA efforts and ments in student learning while maintaining gains in should be incorporated into EFA planning processes terms of equitable access to primary schooling. Progress is not linear, and the retooling process Lessons Learned involved in improving quality and reaching marginal- ized populations may even result in an initial dip in learning outcomes. A simultaneous focus on both quality and equity con- cerns, far from being contradictory in nature, can actually be synergistic--efforts to improve quality and equity can be mutually reinforcing This note series is intended to summarize lessons learned and key policy findings on the World Bank's work in education. The views expressed in these notes are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank. 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