Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 3/4/2008

Question
I am a student in college and am doing a project studying the educational system in Brazil. Can you answer these questions or is there a site you can direact me to. 1. What are the ages brazilians are in school? Is there a cost? Is there a public education?What types of cirriculum is offered? How long do they attend and if they have graduations? Is there colleges and graduate schools? These are basic questions I am inquiring and any information and directions to additional information would be helpful. Thank you!

Answer
I dont know the answers to all of your questions.  You would have to be able to read Portuguese for that, or just find a Brazilian specialist at Harvard or something and he can tell you.  I don tknow what age you have to start school at. .I think it is 7. But it might be 6. I dont know if there is a mandatory schooling law either.  Public schools are free in Brazil, but most of them are not very good.

Curriculum: no clue.

Attendance: no clue.

Yes, there are colleges and graduate schools. Many. The best ones are public, such as the University of Sao Paulo. Others are private, like the business school Getulio Vargas. There is also a very big catholic univeristy system which is good, known as PUC -- Catholic Pontificate University.  

You can also call the Brazilian Embassy in DC and ask to speak to their press office and ask them directly. They will have the answer to all your questions.

Ken