Social changes and technological advances continue to reshape the educational landscape for 2025, presenting challenges and opportunities for teachers, students, and administrators.

The Bett Blog highlights four trends that are shaping education. These themes highlight the impact of artificial intelligence, the growing concern for mental health, and the integration of sustainability into learning.

These trends point the way toward an education system focused on innovation, inclusion, and the holistic development of students.

These four topics will be featured at the 30th edition of Bett Brasil, in panel discussions, presentations, and workshops that make up the event’s content program.

• Artificial Intelligence

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education will transform the way students and teachers interact with information and knowledge. AI tools enable personalized instruction, tailoring content to students’ individual needs and helping educators develop more effective teaching strategies.

However, there is still a limited understanding of its full potential, which is reflected in challenges that need to be addressed, such as algorithmic bias and the reorganization of learning spaces. Striking a balance between the use of AI and the development of human skills is essential for students to be able to make the most of technology. 

In an article for the Poder 360 website, Seiji Isotani, a professor of computer science and learning technology at USP who also serves on the Advisory Board of Bett Brasil, and Lia Glaz, CEO of the Telefônica Vivo Foundation, point out that “we are still far from truly integrating digitization and AI into the educational process in an irreversible way.”

They continue: “But we cannot expect this to be a gradual change. Brazil doesn’t have that kind of time. While we address the structural issues to achieve economies of scale, we need to create microsystems throughout our country that offer positive experiences so we can break out of this bubble. Perhaps that is the way forward.”

• Mental Health and Social-Emotional Skills

Promoting mental health in schools has become a priority and is deeply relevant to creating welcoming and safe school environments for the healthy development of students, teachers, administrators, and other professionals associated with the school community.

Among the issues that require the most attention are the family-school relationship, in-person and online bullying, individual and collective anxiety, and the fear of missing out (FOMO). In addition, there are the impacts of social media and excessive digital exposure.

According to a 2024 survey by Folha de S.Paulo, based on data from the Psychosocial Support Network of the Unified Health System (SUS), between 2013 and 2023, the year 2023 saw the highest incidence of medical consultations for symptoms of anxiety and depression in the 10- to 14-year-old and 15- to 19-year-old age groups. The rates reached 125.8 and 93.1 patients per 100,000 for anxiety and depression, respectively, among adolescents aged 10 to 14.

For young people aged 15 to 19, the figures were even higher, with 157 cases of anxiety and 130.4 cases of depression per 100,000. These figures contrast sharply with those from 2013, when anxiety rates for the 10- to 14-year-old age group were only 9.7 per 100,000, and depression rates were 11.4 per 100,000.

In an article for *Revista Educação* magazine, Ana Crispim, research manager at the Ayrton Senna Institute’s Laboratory of Sciences for Education (eduLab21), highlighted initiatives that can support the promotion of mental health in conjunction with social-emotional development in schools. “These include strategies such as social-emotional assessments, identifying available local resources (for example, Psychosocial Care Centers, or CAPS), clear referral protocols, spaces for active listening, and awareness-raising initiatives aimed at families and the school community.”

• High-quality teacher training

It is crucial for any country’s educational system to ensure that teachers have access to high-quality training. In Brazil, the teaching profession faces significant challenges, such as the devaluation of the profession, gaps in initial training, low pay, and a lack of ongoing professional development throughout their careers. 

Among middle school teachers (5th through 9th grade) in Brazil, 41% do not have a degree in the subject they teach. In high school, the situation is also critical: 32% of teachers are not teaching the subject they studied in depth in college, according to the Basic Education Yearbook, a report produced by the NGO Todos pela Educação.

According to Priscila Cruz, CEO of Todos, the reasons for this problem include: structural flaws in teacher training, such as the significant number of unfilled spots in teacher-training programs (due to a lack of interest among applicants) and dropout rates during teacher-training programs. Another factor is the high percentage of trained teachers who never end up teaching in the classroom because the career is not very attractive.

In this context, the Ministry of Education (MEC) announced earlier this year the “Mais Professores” program, which brings together a set of measures designed to enhance the status of the teaching profession in Brazil. Among the initiatives is the “Pé-de-Meia Licenciaturas” program, which offers a monthly stipend of R$ 1,050 to students who enroll in teacher-training programs through Sisu, Prouni, or Fies Social. The goal is to make initial teacher training programs more attractive to students who perform well on the ENEM and to support them until they complete their degree.

• Climate crisis

In the “Emissions Gap” report, the United Nations (UN) projects global warming of 3°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100 if current climate policies remain unchanged. “We are walking a planetary tightrope,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. “Either leaders close the emissions gap, or we will plunge into a climate disaster,” he said.

The climate emergency we are experiencing must be addressed collectively by society. One of the essential pillars of this effort is the integration of climate education into schools, as a skill that must be developed to raise a generation that is more aware and better prepared to deal with the reality of the climate crisis.

Starting in 2025, Brazilian schools will be required to address the topics of climate change and biodiversity conservation in the classroom. This requirement is established by Law 14,926, signed into law by the President of the Republic. The new law amends the National Environmental Education Policy, adding the study of these topics to the objectives of national environmental education.

According to the text, schools should encourage students to participate in initiatives aimed at preventing and mitigating climate change. The purpose of including these new topics in the law is to ensure that educational programs—in both K-12 and higher education—include activities related to socio-environmental risks and emergencies, as well as other aspects related to environmental and climate issues.

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