Primary education under the Eurico Gaspar Dutra government (1946-1951)

Abstract

The aim of this article is to provide a socio-historical analysis of the actions of the Eurico Gaspar Dutra government (1946-1951) in the field of education, with a specific focus on primary education. The hypothesis proposed is that the federal government at that time prioritized expanding primary education as a means of advancing democratization and promoting the political, economic, social, and cultural modernization of Brazilian society. This was achieved through the implementation of the National Primary Education Fund (FNEP), the National Primary Education Agreement, and the Primary Education Development Program, as well as the promulgation of the 1946 Constitution, the submission of the initial draft of the Guidelines and Bases Law to Congress, and investments in normal education and efforts to combat illiteracy through the Adult Education Campaign. To test this hypothesis, a critical and systematic analysis of primary and secondary sources was conducted to identify what was envisioned, proposed, and achieved by the Dutra government in the field of primary education.