Cristovam Buarque:The specific challenge facing Brazilian educational system is to lead with two targets: to be among the betters in the PISA international evaluation, and to have educational social equality, such that poor children experience the same quality of schooling as rich children. To fulfill these two purposes, the challenge is to move from 6000 municipal systems to one national system.
Guancha: Do you think the same applies broadly to other countries as well? What are some key challenges that education can solve?
Cristovam Buarque: I think that what I've been saying to Brazil, it's worthwhile to the whole world, to any country, but many other countries have done that already. We have examples of countries that were very backwards some years ago, that grew up thanks to education: Finland is an example, South Korea is another example. Some cities in China are doing that, not the whole country yet, but China is doing what I recommend to Brazil, to start revolution in education per city. It's impossible to make the revolution spread through a country as big as China and Brazil. I think that we have examples that we should follow, and China is one.
Guancha: How should Brazil learn from China’s educational system?
Cristovam Buarque: We can learn from China’s national framework to basic education, which is different from our municipal system. A Chinese child is educated as Chinese, while a Brazilian child is educated as a municipal and individualistic person. The respect for Chinese history and heritage are present in the education of Chinese children and forms the Chinese ethos, while the Brazilian system is very much oriented to the individual and the present. We should also learn from the involvement of parents and greatparents in the care and education of Chinese children. Brazil leaves the education under total responsibility of teachers and school.
Guancha: China and Brazil are important trading partners, with Brazil's export of agricultural and raw materials complementing China's exports of machinery and electrical equipment. During president Lula's recent visit to China, the two countries also signed a number of agreements on cooperation in energy, carbon credits, 5G network, financing and de-dollarization. What do you think is the most fruitful area for future cooperation? And how significant would cooperation between the two be for Brazil's efforts to diversify its economy beyond commodities?