Education and Schools in Rio de Janeiro

Despite concerted efforts by the local government, public education and schools in Rio de Janeiro face high exam failure and dropout rates.

For this reason, as well as the fact that classes in Rio’s public schools are taught in Portuguese, the majority of expats living in Rio de Janeiro choose to send their children to private or international schools.

Education and Schools in Brazil

Public schools in Rio de Janeiro

Education at public schools in Rio de Janeiro is free to all children. This includes foreign children who are residents of the city. All public schools are managed by the local municipality, which manages over 1,500 schools serving over 600,000 students. A standard curriculum is followed across all institutions, with classes being taught in Portuguese.

The standard of education at Brazilian public schools remains low. Schools often have issues involving overcrowding and shortages of materials and teaching staff. Due to the demand for space and to accommodate the high number of students, Rio schools often run three separate school sessions per day: in the morning, afternoon and evening. Children will attend one session per day. Occasionally, private schools in Rio may also follow this pattern.

Useful links

• Rio Municipal Education Department (SME)
• Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC)

Private schools in Rio de Janeiro

Private schools in Rio de Janeiro generally follow the Brazilian national curriculum. Some private schools have a religious foundation (predominantly Catholic), and a growing number offer bilingual Portuguese-English instruction alongside traditional monolingual options.

Some expats choose to send their children to these schools due to the improved quality of education compared to public schools and lower fees compared to international schools. Classes are predominantly taught in Portuguese though, so children must have at least some proficiency in the language.

International schools in Rio de Janeiro

There are a few international schools in Rio de Janeiro which follow a variety of international curricula. The majority of these schools adhere to the British and American systems and are usually sponsored in some way by their home governments. Some international schools in Rio are locally run and offer the Brazilian curriculum. Many of these schools also offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

The demand for places at international schools is high. So, parents are advised to begin the application process as soon as possible. Although fees at international schools in Rio de Janeiro can be high, these institutions’ facilities and teaching standards are typically excellent.

On top of the high fees, other expenses may include textbooks and stationery, extracurricular activities, uniforms and school lunches. If you’re moving to Rio with school-aged children, you’ll need to factor this in when negotiating your relocation contract.

Read more: International Schools in Rio de Janeiro

Special educational needs in Rio de Janeiro

As is the case in the country as a whole, there are limited state-supplied resources for children with special educational needs in Rio de Janeiro. Any such services that do exist are in Portuguese.

Private and international schools may have more support available, although this varies significantly between institutions. Major international schools typically offer learning support services, but parents should verify specific provisions during the application process.

Parents are advised to research options thoroughly and encouraged to enlist the services of an educational consultant who can assist with connecting them with the appropriate schools to ensure their children will be well catered for.

Worldwide Educational Consultants

Useful links

• APAE Brazil – Special Needs Support Organisation
• Brazilian Ministry of Education – Special Education Resources

Tutors in Rio de Janeiro

There are countless tutors and tutor companies to choose from in Rio, with both in-person and online options widely available. Expats and locals alike can benefit in many ways from hiring a tutor. For example, even those who have some knowledge of European Portuguese may not find it as easy to pick up Brazilian Portuguese as they expected, particularly the distinctive Rio accent. In these cases, a tutor is an ideal way to bridge the gap.

For students, tutors can help prepare for big exams, adjust to their new curriculum, tackle a problem subject, learn Portuguese, or maintain fluency in their mother tongue.

Useful links

• Preply
• italki
• Superprof
• AmazingTalker