Brazil announces controversial education reform

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian government announced on Tuesday comprehensive educational reform at the secondary school level, which was criticized by experts nationwide.

The government proposed that all subjects but Portuguese and mathematics become optional, while in the current school system all subjects are mandatory. Students would choose a track, for example natural sciences or human sciences, and study only the subjects in those tracks.

High schools would no longer be obligated to offer physical education and art. The change was considered especially preposterous in the country which has just hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said the experts.

The plan to remove subjects that help critical thinking from the current mandatory curriculum, like history and sociology, was also criticized by experts.

Unpleased with the government's self-determined reform plan, teachers also complained on the Internet, accusing the government of trying to make Brazil's public education even worse by making schooling more technical and less comprehensive, and making students think less and repeat more.