Declaration of the United States-Brazil Partnership for Education

We the Presidents of the United States and Brazil recognize that a new reality is reshaping the world and that our citizens must be prepared to meet the challenges of a globalized world in the 21st century. Education is the key to the future. We recognize that working together we will harness inevitable change to the benefit of families in our countries.

Literacy and a first-class educational foundation are critical determinants to the well-being of our citizens, the strength of our economies, and preserving the values we as democraticallyelected leaders hold dear.

Skilled and educated people are the foundations of strong democracies and market economies. We must, therefore, ask more of our educational systems than ever before. Our governments have similar initiatives promoting the development of modern information infrastructures that will facilitate economic growth and will be the foundation of new ways to teach and learn. Our students must be able to compete in a new and constantly-changing job market. This requires access to life-long learning programs and the ability to participate in and benefit from varied cultures outside our borders as well as to process and organize more disparate information than ever before. Education is needed to participate actively and knowledgeably in democratic, plural and diverse societies.

The democracies of our hemisphere, which will take part in the next Summit of the Americas to be held next April in Santiago, agree that education must be a central element in our shared agenda. Bearing in mind the urgency of prompt, effective action, as a top priority we have separately launched, within our respective countries, new initiatives to raise the quality of education, particularly in the primary and secondary levels.

And together, today, we hereby establish the United States-Brazil Partnership for Education. Expanding exchanges, upgrading standards, enhancing teacher training, increasing participation by the family, community and business as well as incorporating new technology underpin our partnership.

Cooperation in the Development and Use of Technologies in Education

New technologies make possible the broad dissemination of information and permit new teaching methods and practices such as distance learning and the use of computers. In addition, students must also master new technologies in preparation for a changing workplace and take part in economic development. We will take advantage of technologies such as the Internet to broaden cultural and language contacts for our students and teachers. We will jointly test and evaluate existing technologies, and facilitate development of appropriate new technologies, while engaging the private sector to assist with their introduction into the classroom.

Ensuring that Every Child Learns Through Educational Standards, Assessments, and Indicators

Evaluating the performance of educational systems requires a clear definition of what schools should teach and what students are expected to know, as well as effective tools for measuring progress. Our governments will each establish standards for student performance in key subjects at appropriate levels, as well as the means to measure them. We will share experiences and information regarding progress on a continuous basis.

Strengthening Preparation and Professional Development of Teachers and School Managers

Excellent schools require excellent teachers and managers. We will seek to have qualified, dedicated teachers in all classrooms, at all grades. To support this goal, we will exchange experiences and evaluate alternative models for teacher preparation and training for school management officials. We will especially consider ways to improve training for science teachers of scientific disciplines at the primary and secondary levels.

Increasing Educational Exchanges Between the United States and Brazil

Already sharing a wide array of public and private educational exchange programs, the United States and Brazil will seek to expand exchanges at all levels, focusing on the priorities in this declaration. We will utilize existing and new mechanisms to establish a student exchange program for university students in mutually agreed areas such as engineering and technology. We will also consider a program of exchanges for language teachers to strengthen language skills and cultural ties between our countries. To assist private programs, we will explore methods for linking institutions to promote mutual recognition of educational credits.

Enhancing Family, Community, and Business Involvement in Education

Opportunities for learning extend beyond the formal classroom. Parents, family members, employers, employees, older students, and volunteers can effectively participate in the education of children, especially in literacy enhancement. We re-affirm that the private sector is partner in education and will promote its involvement in such areas as combatting illiteracy and student dropout rates and enhancing school administration and overall school development.

Implementing the Partnership

Finally, to ensure our partnership is vigorously implemented, we hereby establish the Education Partnership Implementation Commission (EPIC). Through regular meetings, EPIC will monitor implementation of actions outlined in the annex to the Memorandum of Understanding to which our governments subscribe today, as well as periodically formulate new actions. In furtherance of the precepts set forth in this Declaration, EPIC will also seek participation of the private sector and members of the public in implementation of this agreement. Working together, we will reinforce our common resolve, deepen our bonds of friendships, and prepare our children for the coming century.

WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON

FERNANDO HENRIQUE CARDOSO