Brazil’s President Lula da Silva has repealed a program initiated by his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, that promoted the establishment of “civic-military schools.”
The decision was made after the Ministry of Education determined that the program lacked effectiveness.
Under Bolsonaro’s administration, 216 of these schools were opened between 2019 and 2022, with education professionals handling pedagogy and Armed Forces personnel overseeing administration and the implementation of strict codes of conduct.
The Ministry of Education plans to ensure a smooth transition for these schools, minimizing disruption for students and teachers.
The transition will be completed by the end of the current school year, after which these schools will follow the discipline of other public institutions.
Military personnel who served in these schools will gradually be reassigned to other roles within the Armed Forces.
Bolsonaro introduced the program to shift the focus of education away from political activism and towards practical vocational training, emphasizing discipline inspired by military barracks.
The civic-military schools were also seen as a way to counter what Bolsonaro called “cultural Marxism” that he believed had dominated thought and education for decades.