Primary education. – Primary education, free since the first empire, when primary schools were created by the central government, and passed in 1834 under the direction of the provincial governments, with the exception of the city hall of the capital, depends on the states. Teaching is free. There are approximately 24,000 primary schools, public and private throughout the country, with a school population of approximately 1,350,000 pupils. Like primary education, secondary education in Brazil is organized in a similar way to that of Italy and includes gymnasiums and high schools, normal, preparatory, technical, professional, agricultural and industrial schools, both governmental, municipal and private. For Brazil 2006, please check computergees.com.
University. – There is a Federal University, consisting of the Polytechnic School, the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Law of Rio de Janeiro. This university also has a pharmacy faculty and a homeopathic (Hahnemannian) medicine faculty. Other Brazilian state universities are in Manáos (Amazonas) with the faculties of medicine, pharmacy and odontology, legal and social sciences; in Curityba (Paraná), with the faculties of medicine, engineering and law.
There are also in the capitals of the states, many isolated faculties, which do not however constitute universities, and many higher education institutes (agronomy, veterinary, commerce).
Libraries and cultural institutes. – Rio de Janeiro, in the first place, the capitals of the various states and all the other major cities have excellent libraries, museums and learned associations. We mention, for Rio de Janeiro, the National Library, with approximately 600,000 volumes, the Gabinete Portugues de Leitura, with 100,000 volumes, the National Museum, the Historical Museum and others. The Brazilian Academy of Letters was founded on July 20, 1897, on the initiative of Lucio de Mendonça. Its first president was Machado de Assis. Having overcome many difficulties, the Academy acquired great influence and consideration, making itself recognized by the public authorities. It was commissioned to judge the unpublished works by Brazilian authors for the National Theater; and, since 1910, publishes a monthly magazine, which, in addition to the proceedings of the Academy, brasileirismos. Also worthy of special mention is the Historical and Geographical Institute of Rio de Janeiro, founded in 1838, encouraged and supported by its patron, Emperor Pedro II. The collection of volumes of his magazine, directed by BF Ramiz Galvão, and of other important publications edited by him, is indeed monumental. Other historical institutes, in the capitals of various states of the Union, such as those of Ceará, São Paulo, Minas, Rio Grande do Sul, work tirelessly, making notable contributions to the elaboration of regional history and, indirectly, of general history. of the country.
