São Paulo will host 18 centers for the Open University of Brazil.
These are the first units in São Paulo of the federal government program created in 2006; the proposal is to offer distance higher education courses, primarily for basic education teachers.
Camila Maciel - Reporter for Agência Brasil
The Open University of Brazil (UAB) inaugurated 18 centers this Tuesday, the 11th, in the capital of São Paulo. These are the first units in São Paulo of the federal government program, created in 2006. The proposal is to offer distance higher education courses, primarily for basic education teachers. 6 places will be available in 30 different courses from 12 public universities, under the guidance of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).
"The intention is to further deepen partnerships with states and municipalities in teacher training. This is a great example of an agreement between training institutions and also with teachers in the municipal network," pointed out the Minister of Education, José Henrique Paim. Also in 2014, the São Paulo city government is expected to inaugurate 14 more UAB centers in the municipality, totaling 32 units across all education districts.
This year, educators will be able to choose from 125 specialization courses, such as science education, visual arts teaching, pedagogical practices, and public management. Twelve professional development courses and 31 undergraduate degrees in physical education, Portuguese language and literature, mathematics, and pedagogy will also be offered. The in-person support centers will operate in the Unified Educational Centers (CEUs). "It's a strong infrastructure, and we want to ensure it's used to its full potential, offering more and more places," the minister pointed out.
According to the Municipal Department of Education, the capital has approximately 80 teachers. Mayor Fernando Haddad highlighted that professionals in the state network could also benefit from this initiative, through a partnership with the Virtual University of the State of São Paulo (Univesp). "The CEUs (Unified Educational Centers) are available to the state government because, if you go to the outskirts of the city, you realize there is a shortage of teachers in basic education, but on a larger scale in secondary education," he pointed out.
Haddad believes that this training will enable the formation of educators from the communities themselves, which favors the teaching and learning process. "The physical presence of these people, going back and forth to the CEUs, exchanging ideas and perspectives, changes the mindset of young people from the periphery. They will look at the teachers, see the effort, and consider other possibilities for development that are not currently before their eyes," he assessed.