An outcry – against the misery of the education system in Brazil

A study from the SAEB (National system to evaluating primary education) for 2003 shows that the qualification of pupils in the 4^th class in the subject Portuguese (mother tongue) at state schools can be categorised as “60% critical, 40% mediocre and only 2-3 % as satisfying.

Without wanting to belittle the public education system we are of the opinion that it is not just about a equipping the teachers with better training but also about the concrete note giving. It is a well known fact that a relatively large number of children have learning difficulties in the first few school years.

Children from the middle – or the upper classes gets a decisive amount of support from the parents, private teachers etc. In contrast a large number of Brazilian families and especially those living in the poorest areas on the outskirts of the big cities have not the least social, financial and cultural conditions at hand to give their children the help needed.

A combination of unfavourable factors creates for the children instead of getting support that they are overloaded with burdens that mostly affect their physical (including motor skills), soul – emotional, cultural and spiritual development in dramatic ways:

- Poverty and misery, malnutrition and no place to play.
- Mothers who are absent as they have to work, thus children have to rely on themselves either in the streets or locked up in their little houses.
- Very little to no educational training of the parents.
- Other factors lie e.g. being an “unwanted” child...

A real challenge for Waldorf education

Children who are affected by these circumstances are classified “social outcasts” which easily turn into a criminal factor on the basis of absent education and supervision. On the basis of this observation the Associação Comunitaria Micael decided to realise the project “TO BE AND TO BECOME “for school year 2008.

It deals with a Waldorf based school supplementary programme for children who are in state schools from the 2^nd to the 4^th class (7 – 12 year olds) and have difficulties in reading writing and arithmetic that they get the needed help in the mornings. As of 2008 four groups in total 60 children are to receive help as far as it is possible to raise the needed funds.

Reading, writing and arithmetic are essential to understanding the world and to participate in practical life. The special needs of the children will take on all forms of help that is available through Waldorf education. This is a great challenge, as such a project contains in itself manifold potential, as the mentioned difficulties are to be found all over the world.

We would gladly give more information about all aspects of our work! Please support our project “TO BE AND TO BECOME”

Ute Weitbrecht, Christian Moth Nielsen

Associação Comunitaria Micael...

started in the year 2000 out of the circle around the Waldorf school Micael in the poor city outskirts area Jardim Boa Vista. Parents, teachers and friends of the school began the work in 1982 with extra curricula activities that was also meant for children from the two public schools in the area. In 2003 we found a building. We have had about 1000 children and youths from the lower social classes participating in our activities up to date. At the moment we have five paid workers and 34 voluntary workers in the Associaçao with 245 children and youths participating in the different activities (after school help, music lessons, child minding etc.).

More information

• Back to the main page