Ceará Invests Over R$13 Million to Modernize Higher Education and Boost Digital Literacy in Public Schools
Ceará enhances public higher education technology with 1,150 new computers and invests R$7.5 million in digital literacy labs across 75 public schools.
- • Ceará delivered 1,150 computers to modernize 115 UAB poles.
- • State investment exceeds R$6 million for higher education infrastructure.
- • R$7.5 million allocated for Mais Ciência na Escola program’s second phase.
- • Program to establish specialized labs in 75 public schools across 19 municipalities.
Key details
On June 11, 2026, the Government of Ceará delivered 1,150 new computers valued at over R$6 million to upgrade 115 poles of the Universidade Aberta do Brasil (UAB) distributed across 113 municipalities. This initiative, held at the Palácio da Abolição in Fortaleza and attended by Governor Elmano de Freitas, seeks to democratize access to higher education by enhancing technological infrastructure. The UAB program, operating for 20 years in Ceará, currently serves 135 municipalities through 137 poles, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses benefiting over 45,000 graduates. Each pole received 10 new computers, covering all 14 macro-regions of the state.
Alongside this, Ceará announced a R$7.5 million investment for the second phase of the Mais Ciência na Escola program, aimed at improving scientific education and digital literacy in 75 public schools across 19 municipalities. Led by the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), the program will establish four types of laboratories—astronomy, artificial intelligence, maker space, and audiovisual production—providing hands-on learning experiences. The initiative includes teacher training and scholarships to foster university-school integration. The program, launched federally in 2024, plans to reach a total of 150 schools across two phases.
Governor Freitas highlighted how over 70,000 public school students entered universities in the last three years, emphasizing the importance of expanding educational access. UFC’s program coordinator Estêvão Rolim stressed the goal of integrating academic settings with schools to advance STEAM methodologies. This comprehensive investment underscores Ceará's leadership in educational innovation, particularly by positioning itself as the state with the most UAB poles nationwide.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (2)
Source comparison
Date of event
Sources report different dates for the event at the Palácio da Abolição.
ufc.br
"The event took place on June 11, 2026."
sct.ce.gov.br
"The event was held on Thursday, November 11."
Why this matters: One source states the event took place on June 11, 2026, while the other mentions it as occurring on a Thursday, November 11, which is not compatible with the June date. This discrepancy affects the timeline of the events being reported.