The Brazilian educational finance system faces three principal problems: the persistence of large regional and intrastate inequalities on all wealth and development indices; the federal government's predominance in controlling revenue sources; and the education system's openness to political abuses. Disparities can only be rectified by…

The most revolutionary element of UNICEF's approach to the implementation of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child is the integration of the principles of the Convention into individual countries' programs for children. The convention has impacted UNICEF by broadening it's framework for analyzing the situation of children. This…

This document reviews progress in the nine high-populations countries towards the goal of Education for All (EFA). The nine countries are Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Since the Thailand conference in 1990, most countries have shown improvement with primary education increasing by over 40…

The study examined the influence of financial sources on field of study decisions of non-sponsored and sponsored students from developing countries at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Findings are based on analysis of survey responses of 868 foreign students from five countries (Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, and Nigeria) studying…

The four papers in this volume discuss various facets of the poverty-demography interaction: the rationale for the desired family size of the poor, the problems of attaining such size, the effect of family size/structure on household economy, and the future well-being of the children of the poor. "Mass Poverty, Demography, and Development…

Focusing on the multiple roles and situations of the world's women, this collection of articles examines the current status of women, throughout the world. In the first article, "It's Not as Simple as You Think" (John Richardson), women in Brazil and Costa Rica explain issues they face in the struggle to improve their economic and social…

A summary of educational planning methodologies tested in Argentina, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia, the document offers opinions and proposals about integrated rural development. Integrated rural development is seen as a social, economic, political, and cultural process in rural areas, designed to improve living conditions. Chapters…

This study investigated the adoption and use of practices in preparation and use of vegetables following adult classes in nutrition. Data were obtained on 63 Brazilian women through interviews, diet intake records, a pretest in nutrition, and a food belief inventory, and practices were compared on prior use, adoption, combined use, rejection, and…

Lays out a framework in which microeconomic decision theory and elements of information/communication theory drawn from human geography and sociology are joined in an integrated approach to the analysis of the spread of schooling among the less developed countries. Tests the model on area variations in India, Brazil, and Mexico. (BRR)

The World Bank has been assisting the efforts of developing countries to reform secondary education systems for more than 35 years. During this period, the context and imperatives for education reform have changed considerably due to various factors such as globalization of the world economy and the impact of new technologies. This paper is one of…

Describes four experiments conducted in Brazil which used programed instructional materials and compared three instructional approaches--independent study, student-directed study, and the Keller method. Subjects were high school students and adult learners seeking high school equivalency certificates. (JJD)

Case studies of northeast Brazil and northeast Thailand highlight the importance of a subnational approach to comparative research. Compares geographic and economic conditions, regional culture, ethnicity and gender issues, migration patterns, religion, literacy, and educational underdevelopment. Points out that neglect of a region and its people…

Experiences of different countries in establishing mechanisms to coordinate development of higher education systems, diversify institutional financing, and increase efficiency of public investments are examined. Attention is drawn to the need for effective policy structures to manage higher education, link reform costs to benefits, acknowledge…

In this study, we analyze the contribution of the undergraduate student who participates in the process of generating scientific data and developing a research project using Brazilian research as an example. Historically, undergraduate students have performed the critical role of research assistants in developing countries. This aspect has been…

No other information and communication technology has swept the globe with greater speed than the Internet, having the potential to promote vast social, economic, and political transformations. As new technologies become available the pattern of adoption and diffusion creates disparities in access and ownership. At the most basic this gap is…