Hi Renan,

I’m Laila, the Crimson Country Manager for Brazil!

That’s a very good question and one that governments, universities, NGOs and research institutions around the world are looking to answer as well. Unfortunately, there is no exact formula, but these various actors are seeking out different models that can help to guide solutions in different countries. A few of the key ideas that have framed many of these conversations include:

• A focus on teacher training and teacher valorization, guaranteeing that these key professionals have the knowledge, resources and recognition to effectively do their jobs;
• Adequate government funding to guarantee that schools have the basic infrastructure necessary to guarantee student success, including technology;
• Alternative educational models that involve more hands-on learning and independent inquiry as opposed to just the direct transfer of knowledge from student to teacher;
• Inclusive education that emphasizes and values the stories of students from all different backgrounds and makes space for students with disabilities;
• The internationalization of education and how best to implement it;
• How assessments (testing) should be used by governments in the education system (whether they are overused or underused);
• Debates on what topics should be taught in schools (i.e. whether the arts are essential, whether schools should be more focused on preparing student for trades, etc.)…

And much, much more!

As a curious young person who wants to learn more, I would definitely recommend looking into some of the countries that have transformed their education systems in recent decades (like Finland or Korea) while also digging in to the research that top universities around the world are producing. If you are specifically curious about the Brazilian Education system, check out the work of organizations like Fundação Lemann, Instituto Ayrton Senna or Instituto Península that are seeking out successful models and solutions both in Brazil and around the world. Here are a few specific projects that you might be interested in:

• Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education that researches learning, with an emphasis on the use of the arts, and has created methods that have been implemented in schools around the world: http://www.pz.harvard.edu/projects
• Fab Labs and the Maker Movement that emphasize hands-on learning and technology: http://www.fabfoundation.org/
• An Hour of Code, the global movement that seeks to expose students around the world to programming: https://hourofcode.com

Finally, be sure to check out TedX Education, where you can hear from innovators that are tackling this same big question: https://www.ted.com/topics/education.

If you think you might want to continue looking for answers to this question at a top university in the US or UK, reach out to us at Crimson - we can help!