D-Notícias

The spacious auditorium of the Bank of Brazil Culture Centre (CCBB) was almost too small to hold the audience eager to discuss the topics listed for the I Education Seminar.  Organised by the Instituto Desiderata, this Seminar launched the survey entitled: Partnerships with Municipal Schools in Rio de Janeiro and discussed the theme of Education and Communication in Government schools.  A widely diverse public of around a hundred people enriched these discussions, including representatives of schools, outreach entities, institutes and foundations, the State and Municipal Education and Culture Bureaus, the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). 

The first panel session was opened by Instituto Desiderata Director Beatriz Azeredo, drawing attention to the importance of ongoing dialogue among public and private institutions in order to cooperate more closely with public education policies in Rio de Janeiro.

The Coordinator of the survey commissioned by the Instituto Desiderata, Patrícia Lacerda from the Innova research firm presented the main findings of this study.  Panellist Cláudia Costin, the Municipal Education Secretary, appreciated the solidity and quality of this survey, stating that she was open to examining the suggestions proposed in this publication, which was distributed to everyone at this event.  “Partnerships can leverage a quantum leap in the quality of education in Rio,” she stressed.  Speaking for the Ongoing Education, Literacy Training and Diversity Bureau under the Ministry of Education and Culture (SECAD/MEC) Leandro Fialho added that this survey has much to contribute as “the public still lacks know-how in this field.” During the discussion with the audience, the Gustavo Capanema school principal Eliane Ferreira summed it up neatly: “We see ourselves in the survey.” 

Communication and Education was the topic tabled for discussion by the second panel session of the day.  The Desiderata Education Area Manager Roberta Costa Marques explained that this theme had been tagged as crucial for enhancing the quality of education in conversations with a wide variety of players, the Municipal Education Bureau.  Mônica Mumme from CECIP summarised this issue in the words of a pupil: “Education that fails to communicate does not educate.” Other panellists included Silvana Gontijo from Planeta.com; teacher Cinthia Monteiro de Araujo from the Education Department, Rio de Janeiro Federal University (UFRJ): and Simone Monteiro, Special Projects Manager, Rio de Janeiro Municipal Education Bureau, who said in closing: “Occasions such as this are priceless for learning and exchanging experiences.”

In addition to the survey, two other publications were launched during this Seminar: a book presenting the outcomes of the Partnerships for Education Programme run by the Instituto Desiderata and the Chalk to Pixel leaflet offering advice to teachers on making digital movies, produced by CECIP through a project backed by the Instituto Desiderata. 

All the materials on this Seminar, including the publications, may be accessed by clicking here