From Dakar to Brasilia: Monitoring UNESCO's education goals

Abstract

Active participation of Brazilian civil society, coupled with the 2007 education development plan launched by the Brazilian government, provides an interesting example of the influences of the Dakar Goals. The two domestic initiatives share the same name, spirit and direction proposed in Dakar 2000. Here we analyze changes in the Brazilian policies and indicators related to the Dakar Education Goals. Since they were promulgated, we note: (1) an increase in enrolment over the relevant period; (2) access to primary education was nearly universal by 2000; (3) numbers of over-aged youth and adult students declined considerably during the period, but access did not expand; (4) illiteracy has been falling at a rate which, if sustained, will enable us to meet the goal; (5) gender discrimination was not apparent in Brazil; (6) most pupil proficiency indicators have deteriorated progressively from what was already a low standard. In summary, quantitative indicators did improve over the period while most qualitative indicators worsened. © UNESCO IBE 2009.