Open to the public free of charge, the Bett Brasil Public Education Auditorium is a space for dialogue and collective collaboration, featuring reflections, the exchange of experiences, and debates among various stakeholders in education, all united by the goal of strengthening Brazilian public education.

Among the highlights of the program was a presentation on the case study of the municipality of Passo Fundo (RS). Mayor Pedro Almeida and Municipal Secretary of Education Adriano Teixeira shared the guidelines of the educational management plan that places the city among the select group of the world’s 500 Educating Cities.

The initiative highlights the municipality’s commitment to innovative public policies, integrated with the concept of the city as an educational environment, in which different spaces and actors contribute to the holistic development of citizens.

Located in the northern region of Rio Grande do Sul—which has the state’s second-highest GDP, trailing only the Porto Alegre region—Passo Fundo has experienced significant economic development; today, for example, it ranks second among municipalities in job creation and growth in the construction industry.

"Economic progress drives the need for personal development, and I, coming from a humble family with little formal education, see just how much education opens up new horizons for individuals and their entire communities," says the mayor.

The mayor of Passo Fundo explained the city's educational management plan. Photo: Bett Brasil.

According to him, business investors in the municipality demand a skilled workforce and employees who can work across disciplines, which speaks directly to education. “We listened carefully, met with school principals and other education stakeholders to develop the indicators that guided our decision-making—decisions that engaged all sectors of the city in finding solutions in the field of education,” he explains.

A policy decision to create an educational environment

According to Teixeira, the challenges are great and the term of public office is short—4 or 8 years—but the decision was made, and in 2021, Passo Fundo became a signatory to the commitment that governs the Educating Cities initiative.

He explains that the foundation of this commitment involves a comprehensive assessment and the development of technological infrastructure and connectivity so that education can achieve scale, standardization, foresight, and personalized approaches. Public educational spaces, as well as initiatives and events, form part of this foundation. “It’s about where we want to be in the future, with everyone’s involvement,” says the secretary.

Architecture for the Future

The integration of the public and private sectors and across generations has made Passo Fundo a leader in education today. “We’ve created educational programs that promote citizenship, such as the Traffic School, the Career School, and ‘Coffee with a Job.’ These are initiatives that bring people, businesses, work, and knowledge together,” says the secretary.

The Secretary of Education for Passo Fundo outlined the city's educational initiatives. Photo: Bett Brasil.

"In addition, we are building the future by laying the groundwork for education," says Teixeira. According to him, Architecture for the Future includes internationalization initiatives ( language classes, encouraging exchange programs among Educating Cities); investments in scientific thinking as a process of educational development; initiatives to put learning into practice (practical problem-solving, multidisciplinary classes based on a vegetable garden, etc.); and the promotion of innovation.

"It is important to note that the model emphasizes the quality of information and educational opportunities for the public school system as part of the management policy. Only in this way—by taking everyone into account—will we have a more egalitarian and sustainably developed society," added Mayor Pedro Almeida.

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