Brazil’s compulsory schooling surpasses OECD average
Brazil’s compulsory schooling exceeds the average in countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), but it still needs to reach out-of-school children and adolescents. Early childhood education, a key focus of the international report Education at a Glance (EaG) 2024, released on September 10, highlights this issue.
According to the report, Brazil mandates school enrollment for all children and adolescents aged 4 to 17. With 13 years of compulsory education, Brazil’s requirement exceeds the OECD average of 11 years. However, in early childhood education, Brazil enrolls 90 percent of five-year-olds in preschool, falling short of the OECD average of 96 percent.
Early childhood education is a key focus in Brazil, particularly during the municipal election year, as it falls under the purview of municipal authorities to ensure both enrollment and quality at this educational level.
The international study provides a series of indicators that allow a comparison of the educational systems of the participating countries and regions.
The report also addresses issues such as public investment in education, revealing that Brazil’s investment decreased by an average of 2.5 percent annually from 2015 to 2021. In contrast, OECD countries increased their public investment in education by an average of 2.1 percent per year during the same period.
While overall investment in education has declined in Brazil, early childhood education has seen a notable increase. Public investment in this sector, in relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), rose by 29 percent from 2015 to 2021, surpassing the OECD average increase of 9 percent during the same period. “Early childhood education has garnered significant attention in recent years due to its crucial role, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds,” the report highlights.
Brazil has been participating in Education at a Glance (EaG) since its inaugural edition in 1997. Founded in 1961, the OECD, which has 38 member countries, aims to promote economic progress. Brazil was a partner of the organization until 2022, when it became a candidate for membership.
