The future of Brazilian public education will be shaped in Recife with the Bett Nordeste Conference, on August 27 and 28, at the Recife Expo Center pavilion. The event will feature, for the first time, the Public Education Auditorium—a space with free admission to the public—designed to spark reflection and identify paths forward for state and municipal school systems across the country.

With a packed schedule, the auditorium panels covered topics ranging from the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on schools to solutions for modernizing infrastructure, expanding full-time education, and promoting inclusion and equity. The event will also feature inspiring examples of best practices already implemented in Recife and Piauí.

Confirmed speakers include: Silvio Meira, chief scientist at TDS Company;Luciano Meira, professor at UFPE and Cesar School; Alexandre Schneider, researcher at FGV; and public officials such as Zezinho Sobral, lieutenant governor of Sergipe; Washington Bandeira, secretary of state for education in Piauí; Cecília Cruz, Municipal Secretary of Education for Recife; Renata Serpa Vieira, general manager of Educational Exchange at the Recife Department of Education; Ana Cristina de Castro, Municipal Secretary of Education for Timon (MA); Andrea Soares, manager of Social Infrastructure Project Structuring at BNDES; and Marcelo Dantas, general manager of Educational Strategies at the Recife Department of Education.

• Register for the Bett Conference here

One of the highlights will be the lecture titled “Has Public Education Already Missed the Boat on Artificial Intelligence?,” in which brothers Luciano and Silvio Meira will present an analysis of AI’s disruptive potential in education, alongside researcher Alexandre Schneider.

Based on a recent article they co-authored, Silvio and Luciano argue that generative AI represents a “Red Swan” (a concept coined by Silvio Meira to indicate a paradigm shift) for the educational ecosystem.

According to them, the current, industry-inspired model is obsolete and needs to be reinvented. Among the urgent actions, they list four strategic and actionable pillars to transform AI from a threat into an opportunity in Brazil’s public school systems: teacher retraining and empowerment; curriculum and assessment reform; the creation of a public and sovereign AI infrastructure; and ethical governance that promotes research.

Another relevant panel will be “The New Public School: How Public-Private Partnerships Can Facilitate the Necessary Modernization of the School System, ” which will discuss how public-private partnerships can help states and municipalities renovate and maintain schools, as well as expand the availability of school spots, especially in early childhood education.

The session will feature José Aliperti, CEO of Astra Infraestrutura e Concessões Educacionais; David Gomes , Municipal Secretary of Strategic Actions and Partnerships for the City of Maceió (AL) ; and Andrea Soares, Manager of Social Infrastructure Project Structuring at BNDES .

Connectivity will also be on the agenda during the panel discussion “Technology for All: Infrastructure and Equity in Schools, ” which aims to go beyond internet access to develop digital tools that reach every student and enhance learning by integrating pedagogical vision, connectivity, and public policy. The discussion will feature Leo Gmeiner, co-founder and CBO of School Guardian, and Delson Silva, director of Technology and Innovation at the National Fund for Education Development (FNDE) .

The topic of inclusion will be addressed in the lecture “Inclusion: The Commitment of Human Rights Education, ” which will discuss challenges and strategies for promoting students’ full participation. The guests are Josevanda Franco, a teacher and specialist in education and human rights, and Adriane Damascena, a teacher and head of the School Projects for Human Rights Service at the Sergipe State Department of Education (SEED) .

• Check out the full schedule here.

With free admission to the Public Education Auditorium, the Bett Nordeste Conference promises to be a gathering place for sharing experiences, building partnerships, and presenting innovative solutions focused on public education.

For more information about the schedule and registration,click here.

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