Catalina Gomez, Rio de Janeiro Community Manager
Even though Rio de Janeiro offers good coverage of basic public education, there are important gaps in terms of quality. Historically, low-income and violent neighborhoods in Rio have suffered from the highest school drop-out rates and the worst scores in standard tests. But this situation is changing, and faster than expected, thanks to the “Schools of Tomorrow” program, known locally as Escolas do Amanhã.
The Schools of Tomorrow program started in 2009 under the leadership of Rio’s Municipal Secretariat of Education with the aim of reducing drop-out rates in the most violent neighborhoods of the city. It is currently operating in more than 155 schools, with more than 6000 active teachers, and is benefiting more than 105 thousand students. Results have been impressive: between 2008 and 2011, school drop-out rates within Schools of Tomorrow were reduced by 37 percent versus 11 percent in regular public schools. Schools of Tomorrow are also performing better on standardized tests than before; and there are exceptional cases like the School of Tomorrow in Taquara, which has the city’s second highest score and is within Brazil’s top five performing schools.
The key of the Schools of Tomorrow initiative has been its comprehensive approach. Beyond basic education, these schools aim to offer beneficiary children the opportunity to build civil values and expand their opportunities to play sports, learn from cultural activities, and have a healthy alternative lifestyle beyond the violence they see in their local communities. This initiative has required financial resources, but more importantly, it has required a shift of the educational model towards a more comprehensive approach that encourages more proactive schools, teachers, and students. These are the six main pillars of the Schools of Tomorrow, which ensure that beneficiary children grow up to be healthy, competitive, and capable:
1. Ensuring the full time engagement of children: When not studying, children are encouraged to participate in alternative activities such as art, sports, or science. Currently, the Schools of Tomorrow offer more than 50 alternative activities for children to learn from.
2.Promoting science courses: The Schools of Tomorrow expand children’s involvement in the sciences by offering them access to science labs and the possibility to conduct experiments and research with the help of experienced teachers.
3. Expanding basic health coverage: In order to ensure the children’s wellbeing, each School of Tomorrow is equipped with its own basic health team of several nurses. Each school also benefits from periodic visits from health teams, which include a doctor, a nurse, a dentist, and an oral hygiene assistant.
4. Building capacities among teachers: Given the special social conditions of these schools, teachers receive training in conflict resolution and in management of effective school dynamics.
5. Expanding the “educational neighborhood”: In each School of Tomorrow, there is one school officer that liasons with community members and NGO representatives to expand activities with local residents. This strategy ensures that the neighborhood becomes the extension of the school, by teaching children positive behaviors while outside school.
6. Working with local partners and volunteers: This strategy targets parents and grandparents to encourage them to become active supporters of role model behaviors inside and outside the educational facilities.
Photo credit: Secretaria Municipal de Educação de Rio de Janeiro