Brazil's Chamber of Deputies Approves National Policy to Expand Youth and Adult Education

The Education Committee of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies has approved a bill establishing the National Policy for Youth and Adult Education (Pneja), aimed at promoting literacy and the completion of fundamental and secondary education among those who left school prematurely. The policy addresses the significant challenge of illiteracy, which currently affects 8.4 million Brazilians, predominantly in the North and Northeast regions. Although the illiteracy rate dropped to 4.9% by 2024, the initiative seeks to further combat educational inequality.

The bill emphasizes ensuring the right to education, reducing disparities, and providing tailored teaching for young people, adults, and the elderly. It includes provisions for indigenous, quilombola communities and bilingual education for the deaf. Measures such as active outreach to students who abandoned schooling and flexible scheduling for courses are proposed. Additionally, the policy mandates that state and municipal governments allocate budgets and monitor student attendance.

Integration with existing federal programs like Brasil Alfabetizado and Pronatec is planned to set goals for reducing illiteracy and promoting digital literacy. The rapporteur, Deputy Duda Salabert (PSOL-MG), highlighted the importance of forming specialized teachers to meet these goals. The bill still requires review by the Finance and Taxation, and Constitution and Justice Committees before moving forward.