Language and Educational System of Brazil - Essay Example

Education plays a great role in society and a means of economic success in Brazil. The government spends 16.2% on education alone and 93% of children’s population is in the primary school because basic education is compulsory from age 7 to 14 and is free at all public institutions, while 81% of girls and 73% of boys complete secondary education. However, only 30% of young adults attain a university education. The statistics prove an extreme disparity in Brazil’s educational system.

Educational attainment dictates the income and status of people. Low income and poor education aggravate violence and corruption in society.Students from many poor families are forced to work at an early age. The result, many unschooled laborers earn less than one-fourth of secondary school graduates, who in turn earns half the wage of university graduates. Students from well-connected wealthy families and ambitious middle-class families enjoy the luxury of better education and high-paying jobs.

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htmlUIS Statistics in Brief. Retrieved June 19, 2009, from UNESCO Institute for Statistics Web site: http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=121&IF_Language=eng&BR_Country=760Brazil. Retrieved June 19, 2009, from Country Studies US Web site: http://countrystudies.us/brazil/39.htm