The so-called “Teachers’ Enem”—as the National Teaching Exam (PND) has come to be known—has emerged as one of the key recent initiatives aimed at addressing long-standing challenges in Brazil’s basic education system, ranging from the quality of initial teacher training to the enhancement of the teaching profession.

In an interview with Conexão Bett, Barbara Born, the chief scientist at Todos Pela Educação, analyzes the potential impacts of the exam and warns: its success will depend less on the proposal itself and more on how it is implemented and incorporated by school districts and teacher-training institutions.

Barbara explains that the PND is based on the National Student Performance Exam (Enade), a long-standing assessment tool for higher education in Brazil, particularly in teacher-training programs. The key difference lies in its use: while Enade measures the quality of academic education, the PND can be incorporated as a stage in civil service exams and selection processes for elementary and secondary school teachers.

In practice, this means that both students nearing graduation and faculty members who have already earned their degrees will be able to use their test scores as a credential to enter or advance in their careers.

“Students who are nearing the end of their undergraduate programs will, by the time they complete the PND, be participating in a phase that can serve as a stepping stone to a teaching career. This puts pressure on institutions of higher education to align their curricula with the actual needs of public school systems,” she says. In her view, this trend can help raise the quality standards of initial teacher training programs.

Another advancement highlighted by Barbara Born is the overhaul of the Enade itself, driven by the design of the National Teacher Assessment, with the aim of integrating the two assessments. The new structure places greater emphasis on pedagogical and practical knowledge, with questions focused on topics such as assessment, curriculum planning, and teaching practices, in addition to the specific content of each field. “There is a more detailed focus on what society considers essential for the practice of teaching,” she says.

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Initial Training and Career Development

Barbara notes that the concept of valuing the teaching profession is still often reduced to the issue of salary. “Valuing a profession also involves recognizing its complexity and establishing clear entry criteria. Professions with greater social prestige tend to have more rigorous selection processes,” she argues, drawing a parallel with the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) exam.

In this regard, she said, the PND could serve as a first step toward reinforcing the understanding that teaching requires specific skills and a high level of preparation to work in the classroom.

However, the chief scientist at Todos Pela Educação warns that it is essential for the test results to be effectively used as a regulatory tool. “ENADE has been in place for years, and even with very poor performance, many programs continue to operate without significant changes. If the PND is not accompanied by measures that improve the quality of the programs, its potential will be lost,” she says.

The discussion about the exam is also linked to a broader structural problem: the quality of initial teacher training. According to Barbara, there has been a rapid expansion of low-quality teacher training programs in recent decades, especially in the form of distance learning (EAD).

Currently, about 70% of students in these programs are taking classes remotely—a percentage that rises to 80% in the education program. “It’s hard to imagine training an early childhood educator or literacy instructor without practical experience, without in-person interaction, and without observing classroom behavior,” he criticizes.

To reverse this situation, Born advocates for greater public investment and prioritizing teacher training in educational policies. “If quality education is a priority in the country, we need to truly invest in teacher training, including in the country’s most remote regions,” he says.

The Appeal of the Profession in Brazil

The creation of the PND also comes amid growing concern about the shortage of teachers in Brazil. Projections indicate a potentially significant teacher shortage in the coming decades, a scenario that could be exacerbated by young people’s lack of interest in the teaching profession. Preliminary data analyzed by Todos Pela Educação show that students with higher academic achievement tend to choose other fields, avoiding teacher-training programs.

For Barbara, this trend calls for a systemic approach. “There’s no way to attract new teachers without taking care of those who are already in the classroom. Young people will only be interested in this career if they see good role models—professionals who are valued, well-trained, and recognized,” she concludes.

Barbara is one of the guest speakers at Bett Brasil 2026. She will participate in the panel “The ‘Enem for Teachers’—Selection, Qualification, and Teaching Careers in the New Context, ” alongside Manuel Palacios, president of the Anísio Teixeira National Institute for Educational Studies and Research, on May 5 at 2:00 p.m. in the Public Education auditorium. Admission is free, and registration must be completed here.

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