THE TEACHING ISSUE IN BRAZIL An innovative pathway in recruitment and in teacher training program As I’m a new member of this International Alliance, I would, first, like to show you some data about my country, Brazil, that can serve as the context or background within which Teaching Issues as well as any other Educational Issue should be understood. The data I shall show you relate to the economic, financial, social and political scene. Sonia Penin - School of Education – University of Sao Paulo (USP) - Brazil International Conference on Teacher Education -`International Alliance of Leading Education Institutes The Danish School of Education, University of Aarhus. Copenhagen, Denmark, August 2008 1

BRAZIL (Population 190 million) young population 0–39 years= 68% AGE GROUP MILLION 0-14 YEARS 48.6 15-24 YEARS 34.7 25 – 39 YEARS 43.4 40 – 59 YEARS 41.4 ABOVE 59 YEARS 19.1 Here are some data about the Brazilian population, by age group, which show us that young people constitute the large majority of the population. 2

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX (HDI) In accordance with the classification of the United Nations Program (UNP): a) Until 2006 Brazil was considered a country of average human development with, in that year, an index of 0.792. b) In 2007 it moved up into the high development category with an index of 0.800. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in accordance with the World Bank: US$ 1.068 trillion - which means US$ 5,600 per capita NEVERTHELESS there are: still problems related to income distribution and regional and other inequalities (as follows) Here is some information about the Brazilian Human Development Index in accordance with the classification of the UNP. We can see the change which has occurred recently in Brazil: from 2006 to 2007 the country advanced from Average to High Human Development Also, we had an increase in the GPD which reached the figure of a little more than one trillion dollars i.e. a per capita income of about 4 thousand 7 hundred dollars. 3

BRAZILIAN BUDGET (Federal Government, States and Municipalities) % Gov Budget % GDP Education 11.5% 5 % (too low for national needs) Health 18.3% 7.5% Social Security Funds (retirement and pension funds) 31.7% 13% (World average:6%) Interest costs of the Government Superavit 10% 4.25% All other expenses 4.75% TOTAL 100% 41%(countries with similardevelop level: 25%) Interest costs of the Government – 18.3% - is the amount of interest the Government pays to roll his debit (e a quantidade de juros queo Gov paga para rolar a sua divida). 41% of the National GDP is used to pay the Government expenditures (Do total do PIB (GDP) , 41% e para pagar contas do Gov) The National Education Plan defined in 2001 7% as the minimum necessary. Many countries with similar development level have higher percentage. 4

DEMANDS FOR THE TEACHING PROFESSION (3 million) Early Childhood Education and Preschool Initial Grades (1st to 5th years) of Elementary School Final Elementary Grades (4 years) High School (3 years) Graduate Education The intermediate (high school) level training course is acceptable. The aim is to have 70% of graduate level professionals by 2011 (National Education Plan - NEP) Compulsory graduate formation and a minimum period of three hundred hours of teaching practice Compulsory graduate formation, post-graduation desirable 5

Special Teachers’ Training Program at College Level/S. Paulo Requirements for teachers to attend the course: at least 3 years’ experience in early childhood education and initial grades (1st to 5th years) of elementary public schooling; Structure - 3,210 h over 25 months. Partners – a consortium of 3 universities, S. Paulo Secretary of Education and Vanzoline Foundation (technological logistic support) 6

Innovative Program for 3 main reasons 1. Organized in thematic blocks, with interdisciplinary approach. 2. A collective project (3 universities and the S Paulo State Secretary of Education); 3. High technology media used: videoconferences, web, e.learning program. 27 sites distributed throughout the State. Each batch was supervised by a tutor and assistant-teacher. 11 thousand teachers trained in 3 programs External assessment undertaken by the Carlos Chagas Foundation (positive evaluation). 7

Present Situation and Perspectives There are similar Programs all over the country, given by both public and private institutions, with different quality level. In USP we are working in 2 directions: A New Program for different initial education teachers courses no more as special, but as regular, looking for the same quality of the presential ones. New Programs of ongoing education teachers courses The main stakeholder is the State Secretary of High Education and other partners as a public TV broadcast Assessment is essential to guarantee quality! 8

THANK YOU for your attention Sonia Teresinha de Sousa Penin School of Education University of Sao Paulo (USP) BRAZIL sapenin@usp.br fe@usp.br www.fe.usp.br 9