Her Excellency the president, deputies and senators are in their hands the decision to approve or veto two bills that increase spending on education, one intended 75% of the pre-salt royalties to the area and the other, the Plan National Education, stipulating that dobremos the volume of spending over the next decade from the current 5% of GDP to 10% of GDP.

In the last ten years I've been writing about Brazilian education, and militating in it, with only one purpose: to radically improve the quality of education in the country so we can give a development leap. I do it for public spirit, but also selfish: I want my children to live in a better country than this we have now. Not earned money with this issue, I do not advocate the interests of any public or private group, national or foreign. Act like provided with an attorney to speak on behalf of millions of students from poor Brazilian public schools, who have no voice or rather the national political debate.

So I hope that you and the gentlemen believe me when I say I would defend any action for which there was evidence that positively impacts the learning level of our students. If this measure were something as easy and simple as passing a law, then I'd be even happier. And as far as this had as a secondary consequence improve the income of 5 million people who work in the educational system, so let me triply happy. And even if you do not seek popularity or want to keep them company in electoral activities, neither am I a masochist, so that would be even more glad to defend something that has been requested by street protesters and a number of charitable souls who claim to the lady and the gentlemen approve the said laws. For all that, I love to join this chorus of those who cry for more action. But I can not. Why I can not miss with the truth. nor ignore decades of evidence, nor consent that two gifts we receive - the working capacity of the Brazilian people, which generates taxes that you are about to take ownership; and mineral wealth buried in our coast - are so blatantly wasted on a system that is a Midas in reverse: the gold turns it receives in waste and ignorance.

The lady and the gentlemen must have heard that Brazil invests little in education. That countries that have made great educational jumps increased their spending in the sector to facilitate its progress. That if we spend more we can solve our problems. What if we pay more for our teachers we are to regain their battered self-esteem and finally bring "the best" students to the teaching, so that we raise the quality of teachers of tomorrow. Well, excuse me for frankness and direct language, but the urgency and the gravity of the matter takes on necessary: ​​this is all a lie. Outright.

Brazil does not just spend on education. As shown by the world's most respected survey data in the area, the Education ata Glance 2013, we invested in our basic education 4.3% of GDP, against 3.9% of GDP in developed countries. If we look at education spending as a whole, still spend a little less, but that's basically because our public university system is tiny and spend far less in total than those countries, where most of the corresponding age population undergraduate students. Our investment per pupil, compared to the level of Brazilian income is basically the same in developed countries. (The lady and gentlemen, surrounded by people who want to have more money to run, probably saw this data in their nominal absolute values, in dollars. As it made sense to compare nominal spending in countries that have rendered three or four times higher than ours, and as if in some activity the ratings of developed and developing countries were similar ...).

Perhaps you and you already know that we spend the same as the countries with the best educational systems in the world, but believe that these are levels of nations that "already there". They might have heard someone say that when these countries have their educational jump, spent close to 10% of GDP now intend to spend. Again, it's a lie. I think the chart on the right is in charge of dismantling this empulhação without further ado (the original data and other bibliographies are in twitter.com/gioschpe). Are Unesco data for countries that are a reference in the world in educational improvement, in addition to our neighbors. They cover the period from 1970 (when the data began to be collected) to 2012. Any if you look at all the time or only for the time (1970-89) in most of these countries began to give his jump, the conclusion is the same: there was no investment rise before, during or after the improvements, and investment levels reach a maximum at the house the 5% of GDP. Any if the GDP is rich country such as Spain and England, or from developing countries such as China and Chile.

Finally, on teachers. As I have written in several articles here, there are several studies in which teachers themselves are interviewed, and most say they chose the profession because he loves her, loves her and does not intend to abandon it. I do not think that this category has a lower self-esteem than average, so. Much is made of the few cases of countries that can attract the most talented students for teaching, but this is the typical case of the exception that proves the rule. Even in the most successful countries in general the young man who opts for the teaching career is not the most skilled of his age group. The most relevant end up opting for careers in the private sector, where their talent will be valued. Professor's public career with the limitations, engessamentos stability and common to other public functions. What most of the top countries can do is to get this young medium and through excellent training and monitoring continued throughout his career, turning it into a competent professional. It is what we should seek to make as well.

I understand that you and the gentlemen want to do something for Brazilian education. However, as the common people, with good intentions hell is paved. They are acting under the mistaken premise: that our problems are solved with money. This is false. It is not a matter of the amount of money, or how that money is managed. We need many things to our education, and the most important have nothing to do with money. Where to focus? In improving the pedagogy of universities / degree, which are completely theoretical and ideological and do not prepare anyone for teaching. The careful selection of school principals. The establishment of a national curriculum. The creation of high expectations for all our students, especially the poorest. Curbing the teacher absenteeism. Making the journey lessons be utilized without time wasted on delays, announcements, calls, class councils. Preventing teachers find to fill the slate of matter and have students copy is a lesson. Alfabetizando to 6 years old. Desinchando the curriculum, especially in high school, and giving choice of technical and vocational courses at this stage. Prescribing and correcting more homework. Using ratings constant and rapid interventions when it identifies a student with a problem.

Few items above can be solved at the federal level. Most of it is the responsibility of mayors, governors and their secretaries of Education. Today, most of them do a very bad job. Play another truckload of money in the hands of these people, with this system will guarantee a colossal waste. If by doing a lousy job they are rewarded with double the resources, what incentive will have to improve ?! I hope the parliamentary you do not surrender to populism. If succumb, president Dilma, use its power of veto. May not help in their next election, but will certainly benefit colleagues of his grandson.

Source Text: Revista Veja, issue 2331 - year 46 - # 30.