An inspiring journey: learning from the comprehensive secondary education model in Brazil.

By: Rafael Arias, Education and Employment Manager.

From September 16 to 20, 2024, the Alliance for the Transformation of Secondary Education (an alliance led by the Natura Institute, the Sura Foundation, the Nutresa Foundation and now also by the Corona Foundation) organized a learning mission in Brazil to learn firsthand about the comprehensive secondary education model that the country has been implementing since 2016.

The purpose of this trip was not simply to observe, but also to forge closer ties between strategic partners and education secretariats in Colombia, with the goal of replicating territorial education policies that transform secondary education in our country.

This trip brought together top-level technical and managerial leaders from public and philanthropic organizations in Colombia and Brazil, with the shared mission of exchanging experiences and lessons learned. From Brazil, organizations such as Instituto Natura, the Institute for Co-responsibility for Education, Todos por la Educación (All for Education), and the Department of Education of the state of Espírito Santo joined the exchange. From Colombia, key partners such as the Scarpetta Gnecco Foundation and Corpoeducación were present, as well as representatives from the departments of education in Barranquilla, Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cúcuta, Medellín, Norte de Santander, and Santander.

For Fundación Corona - a strategic partner of the Alliance - this mission was an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to secondary education, understood not only as a crucial stage for young people's path to employment, but also as a right that must be mandatory and universal because it consolidates essential learning and skills.

The trip offered a fully immersive experience in Brazil's educational model. A highlight was a visit to schools to learn firsthand how students and teachers experience the comprehensive educational process in that country. The delegation also met with the governor of Espírito Santo, who reaffirmed the state's political commitment to secondary education, emphasizing the importance of sustainable, long-term public policies.

One of the main conclusions was the need to adopt a comprehensive and progressive approach. The Brazilian experience demonstrates that the success of these transformations is based on keeping a focus on the desired transformation while achieving the desired results.

Additionally, the concept of "life project" emerged as a key concept in the Brazilian model, interpreted from a holistic perspective that includes—but transcends—socio-occupational decisions. In Brazil, the "life project" is conceived holistically, encompassing being, knowing, doing, and a vision of the school as a "school of choice" where young people forge their own path, learning to make decisions in philosophical, ethical, human, aesthetic, social, and occupational matters.

The challenge now is to adapt these lessons to the Colombian context. The goal is ambitious: by 2035, the Alliance for the Transformation of Secondary Education expects that at least 76% of young people graduating from secondary education in Colombia will reach the highest levels of learning in language and 68% in mathematics, according to the Saber 11 standardized tests. However, it is already known that achieving this goal will require a firm commitment not only from education departments and schools, but also from foundations and the private sector, to strengthen capacities and strategic perspectives.

The conclusion drawn from this experience in Brazil and its application to the Colombian context is clear: foundations must commit to robust educational policies, supporting not only specific initiatives but also the structural strengthening of the education system. Furthermore, the philanthropic and private sectors have a crucial role to play, promoting initiatives such as the Alliance for the Transformation of Secondary Education, to ensure that young people are truly at the heart of education in Colombia.