Improving Basic Education in Brazil

Abstract

There is a good deal of research on basic education, but most of this research looks at quantity rather than quality and further existing research is limited because teachers’ role and experiences in contributing to the quality of education is rarely examined. We believe that a central tenet in addressing quality in basic education is to hear teacher’s voices in the field. This chapter provides a brief summary of a research project designed to fill the gaps in existing research on Brazilian basic education. This chapter gives an overview of the findings of a joint research project of several Swiss and Brazilian institutions. We begin by analyzing the national and international context within which basic education in Brazil exists. Next, we explore the use of the notion of quality in education. Finally, we present some of the findings of a field survey of teachers working in public and private schools.