The systemic change we want to see in education depends on jointly developed policies which transform in long terms and are sustainable. Instituto Natura is committed to coordinating an ecosystem of organizations and governments, which is central to building quality and equitable education.
Working in coalition with other third sector organizations, we map out the challenges to be faced and collaborate on the strategic design of solutions that can solve them in a structural way.
Our work is connected to the movement “Educação Já!” [Education Now], an initiative organized by Todos Pela Educação [All for Education]. The coalition document provides measures to improve the quality and reduce inequality of the Brazilian education systems.
In order to look at different areas of education, Instituto Natura supports four other strategic coalitions.
In the coalition that works to improve Professional and Technological Education (EPT), together with Itaú Educação e Trabalho, we support 16 states in the development of policies for emancipating education which guarantees qualifications for insertion in the labor world.
We also work to improve the Final Years of Elementary School, a stage full of challenges. Together with our supporting partners – Fundação Lemann, Instituto Sonho Grande and Itaú Social – and our technical partners – Instituto de Coresponsabilidade pela Educação (ICE), Instituto Escolas Criativas, Motriz, Instituto Reúna and Centro Lemann – we have supported more than 1.7 million enrollments (440 thousand of which are full-time).
The Final Years face difficulties, such as dropout rates throughout the stage, increasing failure rates and the challenge of dealing with a period in which the children are becoming teenagers. The work of the coalition includes articulating policies that create a school where these students feel like they belong there.
In the Technology coalition, Instituto Natura is alongside five partners: Innovation Center for the Brazilian Education (CIEB), Megaedu, Telefônica Vivo Foundation, Fundação Lemann and Instituto Sonho Grande. In a pilot initiative in Mato Grosso, we qualified more than 60% of the teachers in the state on digital skills through the Teacher Digital Skills Qualification Program. We also collaborated on the adaptation of the curriculum of 13 state education networks to incorporate technology and digital skills in the classroom.
To value the teachers as key players for quality education is the goal of another coalition Instituto Natura is part of and in which we work alongside Instituto Península, Fundação Lemann, Itaú Social, Instituto Unibanco, Fundação Telefônica Vivo and Fundação Lucia e Pelerson Penido as maintaining entities of Profissão Docente.
By networking with our partners, we gain strength and reach. Collaboratively, we are able to assure that strategic education policies are adopted in territories and become part of national commitments with the potential to amplify local actions.