Quality public education is a fundamental right, and there needs to be a systemic, integrated look at Basic Education from beginning to end for that right to become a reality. Over half of the children in Brazil are not learning to read and write at the proper age. That means many of them will have great difficulties throughout their school career, thereby increasing dropout rates. They may also reach adulthood without being able to read, write, do simple math calculations, or interpret texts autonomously. We are convinced that the new literacy policies now up and running in most Brazilian states—with promising prospects for expansion—will be decisive in ensuring quality schools for our children. That will open doors for them foropportunities to make their dreams come true.

A central element of the partnership’s strategy is racial equity and involves effective actions to reduce inequalities. One of the main challenges is collecting data on the Black and Indigenous children’s learning levels, as self-declaration is more complex in that age group. For example, the 2022 assessment showed that these children have a lower reading fluency than White children. However, the data still does not paint a complete picture because about 42% of the students surveyed provided no information about race.