São Paulo, July 5, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The object of the government's literacy programs is not only to teach people to read and write, under the guidance of increasingly better prepared teachers, but to get them to continue studying. This is the view expressed by the Minister of Education, Tarso Genro, who was in São Paulo, on Friday (2), to sign an agreement with the Brazilian Workers' General Central Union (CGTB) and the multinational corporation, Nestlé, as part of the Literate Brazil program.

"This will allow us to integrate literacy instruction, in search of opportunities for students to enter grade school and not remain stuck in literacy instruction alone, which is only the first step," Genro affirmed.

The Ministry of Education and the CGTB are currently serving 34 thousand children through the program. In Brazil as a whole, the Literate Brazil program has already reached over 3.1 million people. According to the Minister, the Ministry will inaugurate another phase next month.

"In August we are starting a program for 1.6 million people. By extending the period of literacy instruction from six years to eight - and the agreements that are being signed already provide for this increase - we intend to multiply the number of literates, since there is always attrition in the groups, and teachers who are better prepared," he informed.

The Minister also emphasized the importance of the partnership between the government, private enterprise, and the central union in literacy programs. "The task of literacy instruction is a civic task and cannot admit class barriers, because it seeks to consolidate a minimum level of technical capacity for people to learn and become part of a national project. Literacy instruction is the first step and should, therefore, involve entrepreneurs, workers, and civil society in general. It is the first step to building national unity on behalf of a new idea - of a Brazil with fewer social disparities, progressive, democratic, and with high rates of economic growth - and this can only be accomplished through a process of social and educational inclusion," he declared.

Reporter: Liésio Pereira
Translator: David Silberstein