Investing in Brazil’s Youth Through Education
What happens when a young person has access to a classroom but not the same opportunity to succeed as someone from a wealthier or more advantaged community? In Brazil, educational inequality continues to shape the opportunities available to children and youth. Although Brazil has made significant progress in expanding access to education, nearly 993,000 children and adolescents aged 4 to 17 were still out of school in 2024. Adolescents aged 15 to 17 were the largest group experiencing exclusion, with approximately 440,000 not attending school. These disparities are also closely connected to race and socioeconomic status: 67% of children and adolescents excluded from school were Black, mixed-race, or Indigenous.
Educational inequality in Brazil extends beyond whether a student is enrolled in school. UNESCO identifies significant differences in educational quality across Brazil, including disparities between regions and between public and private institutions. These disparities are closely connected to broader racial, socioeconomic, and regional inequalities that affect educational opportunities across Brazil. These inequalities matter because education can shape a young person's ability to pursue higher education, enter the workforce, and achieve greater economic independence. In 2026, UNESCO highlighted the connection between education, employment, and inequality in Brazil, noting that approximately 64 million Brazilians aged 15 and older are out of school and have not completed basic education
While these challenges may seem far removed from Colorado, local communities can contribute to international solutions. The Colorado Chapter of Partners of the Americas, based in Denver, has maintained longstanding connections with Brazil and works to create educational and cultural partnerships across borders. One example is its Strategies for Teaching English Pronunciation (STEP) program, which provides professional development for public-school English as a Foreign Language teachers in Brazil. The program gives educators access to specialized training that they can bring back to their classrooms. In 2025, the program also provided in-person workshops to 50 Brazilian English teachers in Minas Gerais, Brasília, Goiás, and Santa Catarina. The current 2026 program provides online training and certification, with fundraising efforts helping make the training available at no cost to another cohort of teachers.
Supporting teachers is a one-way international partnership that can create a broader impact on young people. Rather than focusing only on individual students, programs like STEP invest in educators who work with students every day. Professional development can strengthen teachers' skills and give them additional tools to support language learning and student confidence. This approach also demonstrates why international advocacy should be based on partnership rather than simply assistance. Brazilian educators understand the needs of their students and communities, while organizations in Colorado can help create opportunities for professional development, cultural exchange, and collaboration. By connecting communities across borders, local action can contribute to larger global goals surrounding equitable and inclusive education.
For Coloradans, supporting international education does not necessarily require traveling abroad. People can learn about the work of organizations such as the Colorado Chapter of Partners of the Americas, volunteer, donate, or help raise awareness about educational partnerships between Colorado and Brazil. Ultimately, the issue of educational inequality in Brazil reminds us that education is a global humanitarian concern. How can communities in Colorado continue building partnerships that expand educational opportunities for young people around the world?
