Currently, Brazilian education suffers an unprecedented crisis. Several causes are determinants of poor teaching quality one being related to the disability of the teacher. Often studies of different organs that emit information about the performance of the Brazilian professor are disclosed stating that most teachers do not perform efficiently their work. This unfortunate situation of the Brazilian teacher is demanding a radical change in the way is being planned and managed the education system in Brazil. We must inspire us in successful experiences in the world, such as Japan, Finland and South Korea. Continuity of the current debacle of education in Brazil is reflected in the treatment that is given to our teachers. We need to understand that without quality education Brazil's future and of their people will be compromised. Valuing and empowering even more Brazilian teachers are crucial to the advancement of education in Brazil.

1. IN DEFENSE OF TEACHER AND EDUCATION IN BRAZIL
Fernando Alcoforado *
Yesterday, October 15th, was celebrated Teacher's Day. To this day, I remember all my
teachers from pre-school until my PhD. I remember the name of each of them, as did
most part of my life, and today I thank all teachers who contributed to me being what I
am and why my teachers taught me how to walk the paths of life. The credit is theirs!
Currently, Brazilian education suffers an unprecedented crisis. Several causes are
determinants of poor teaching quality one being related to the disability of the teacher.
Often studies of different organs that emit information about the performance of the
Brazilian professor are disclosed stating that most teachers do not perform efficiently
their work.
However, these surveys do not provide information about the factors that affect the
quality of teachers' work in the contemporary era in Brazil. The Brazilian teacher has to
deal with an arsenal of bureaucracies, such as journals, lesson plans, evaluative data
sheets, forms, among others, also including the immense amount of work that the
teacher takes home such as lesson plan, preparation of activities, tests, papers,
corrections, tests, projects etc.
These are not the only aggravating considering that the teacher has to face the problem
of school indiscipline in the classroom widespread in most Brazilian schools, such as
excessive talking, mess, misuse of electronic devices, this, coupled with the very low
wage. Added to all that was mentioned above, the teacher still goes through the various
types of violence occurring in the classroom.
In addition, there are pressures from the direction of educational institutions by undue
improvements students' grades, harassment, monitoring similar to the rooms
surveillance. Anyway, these are some of the reasons why the Brazilian teacher is in a
sorry state. All these situations have great influence on quality of life and work of the
Brazilian teacher. Commonly, thousands of Brazilian teachers become depressed or
suffer from diseases linked to stress.
Anyway, all this deficiency of Brazilian teacher exists primarily thanks to the
disengagement of the rulers of Brazil to education that is not set as a priority for
national development. We should inspire on the educational policies practiced in Japan,
Finland and South Korea that are the most advanced countries in the world in education.
Teacher in Japan is a much respected profession, and the Japanese teacher is called
"sensei" or teacher because it is considered wise, centered and guiding children. Japan
has the exact notion that the country's future depends on children, so education is highly
valued, rigorous, disciplined. And so it all works out in practice are needed competent
teachers who have gone through stringent selections, which have a high degree of
knowledge and in compensation are well paid. In Japan, teachers are admired. When
someone says he is a professor, wins the admiration of all in the act.
In Finland, the pillar that supports education relates to the selection and training of
teachers-edge, with professional recognition and good working conditions. In every
school in Finland, the teachers are always attentive to student achievement. In Finland,
the teaching profession is similar to the medical status. What does the teacher
profession compete equally with other careers tip is social recognition, autonomy and
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2. the good condition of infrastructure. The government of Finland establishes general
definitions of the curriculum, but each teacher can adapt it to local conditions. This
creates an environment of highly motivated professionals.
Being a teacher in South Korea is worthy of pride and admiration. As far as Finland,
there is a rigorous selection and training of teachers-edge, professional recognition and
good working conditions. The teaching career in South Korea is among the most
competitive, thanks to good salaries (a South Korean elementary school teacher comes
to earning six times more than a Brazilian and is among the 10 highest paid in the
world, with a minimum of US$ 4,000 per month) and good future prospects (the
prestige and salary increase only). After four arduous years of graduation, all
prospective teachers must attend a masters - the minimum level of training to teach.
Also, do not abound in the market place without teachers: how they can finish the
training are extremely well prepared, all are absorbed by the schools.
The indifference of the rulers of Brazil for education is contributing to the decline in
undergraduate enrollment in the country generating fear of blackout in teacher
education [See Article Queda de matrículas em licenciatura no país gera temor de
apagão na formação de professores (Fall enrollment in degree in the country generates
fear of blackout in teacher education) posted on the website
<http://oglobo.globo.com/sociedade/educacao/queda-de-matriculas-em-licenciatura-no-pais-
gera-temor-de-apagao-na-formacao-de-professores-13897981>]. Census data on
Higher Education, 2013 released by the National Institute of Educational Studies Anísio
Teixeira (INEP) confirmed a bleak trend for the future of the country: the "blackout
teachers" in schools that occurs the fourth consecutive year being less and less number
of students seeking bachelor degree. Consequently, Brazil has formed fewer teachers.
In Portuguese, for example, in 2010, Brazil had more than 90,000 students enrolled in
the course. In 2013, there were 78,000 with a reduction of almost 13%. The scenario is
the same for Mathematics. In 2010, there were 82,792 students in the area. That number
dropped to 80,891, or 2.3% less. This trend started four years ago, occurs due to the low
attractiveness of the teaching profession. The decline in total enrollment in degree
courses since 2010 is still checked in careers as physics (-2.9%) and Biology (-11%).
This also explains the fact that, nowadays, there are many schools without teachers with
proper training. According to data from the School Census 2013, the percentage of
teachers in the final year of primary education in Brazil reaches 67.2% that have no
degree in the subject they teach. In middle school, the proportion of teachers without
adequate training is 51.7%.
This unfortunate situation of the Brazilian teacher is demanding a radical change in the
way is being planned and managed the education system in Brazil. We must inspire us
in successful experiences in the world, such as Japan, Finland and South Korea.
Continuity of the current debacle of education in Brazil is reflected in the treatment that
is given to our teachers. We need to understand that without quality education Brazil's
future and of their people will be compromised. Valuing and empowering even more
Brazilian teachers are crucial to the advancement of education in Brazil. Live the
Brazilian teacher.
* Fernando Alcoforado , member of the Bahia Academy of Education, engineer and doctor of Territorial
Planning and Regional Development from the University of Barcelona, a university professor and
consultant in strategic planning, business planning, regional planning and planning of energy systems, is
the author of Globalização (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1997), De Collor a FHC- O Brasil e a Nova
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3. (Des)ordem Mundial (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1998), Um Projeto para o Brasil (Editora Nobel, São
Paulo, 2000), Os condicionantes do desenvolvimento do Estado da Bahia (Tese de doutorado.
Universidade de Barcelona, http://www.tesisenred.net/handle/10803/1944, 2003), Globalização e
Desenvolvimento (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 2006), Bahia- Desenvolvimento do Século XVI ao Século XX
e Objetivos Estratégicos na Era Contemporânea (EGBA, Salvador, 2008), The Necessary Conditions of
the Economic and Social Development-The Case of the State of Bahia (VDM Verlag Dr. Muller
Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG, Saarbrücken, Germany, 2010), Aquecimento Global e Catástrofe
Planetária (P&A Gráfica e Editora, Salvador, 2010), Amazônia Sustentável- Para o progresso do Brasil e
combate ao aquecimento global (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, 2011)
and Os Fatores Condicionantes do Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2012),
among others.
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