ultramanskShutterstock.com
Recife, Brazil
Recife is the capital city of the state of Pernambuco in north-eastern Brazil and is a major port on the Atlantic coast.
groups
City population
1,661,017
person
Member since
2024
Vision
Recife’s lifelong learning vision is centred on education as a key driver for a sustainable, peaceful, socially cohesive and economically progressive city. In the medium term, the Recife on the Path to the Future plan aims to promote equal opportunities, expand access and enhance education quality. The city’s long-term strategic plan, Recife 500 Years, outlines a commitment to learning at all levels Recife’s ambition is to become one of Latin America’s smartest cities, using education, technology and innovation to reduce social inequalities and empower individuals through meaningful occupations.
I believe education plays a key role in everyone’s lives. A way out of inequalities, a way in for opportunities. Education fuels the drive towards a welfare state.
format_quote
Mr João Campos
Mayor of Recife
Policies, plan and implementation
Sustainability and health
Recife prioritizes human well-being in education and provides psychological support services and five daily meals in full-time schools. The city promotes sustainable development, e.g. by installing solar energy networks in 94 educational units to reduce costs and raise awareness of clean energy.
Equity and inclusion
Through programmes such as Digital Boarding, Recife provides advanced technical training for economically disadvantaged youth. ProUni Recife offers scholarships in private higher education institutions.
Decent work and entrepreneurship
Initiatives like Digital Boarding provide opportunities for low-income young people, reducing unemployment and boosting the city’s technology sector. Additionally, microcredit programmes like CredPop support small entrepreneurs, especially women, with tailored business learning services, earning international recognition for their impact.
Good practices
Childhood in the Kindergarten
This programme, launched in 2021, is expanding the availability of day care centres, supporting families and promoting socio-economic development. Moreover, over 200 schools and day care centres will undergo a USD 40 million upgrade by 2024, ensuring quality infrastructure for all children.
EducaRecife
Recife 500 Years aims to make the city a leading smart city in Latin America by 2037, with EducaRecife as a key component. Launched in 2021, EducaRecife is the city’s digital education transformation programme that has transformed the Municipal Education Network into one of the best in the country. With free tablets and internet access for 4th-grade students, it combines in-class and online learning, providing flexibility and effective education from any location.
Digital Boarding
This programme will offer 2,000 fully funded places on technology-related higher education courses by 2024, with a focus on reducing inequality. Courses, developed with Porto Digital, align with local job market needs and include internships at tech park companies, thereby enhancing graduates’ employability. The programme emphasizes social and emotional competencies, and is leading to a drop-out rate 10 times lower than the national average for technology courses.