The historic contribution of private education in Brazil

Abstract

The relationship between state and private enterprise in the Brazilian education has always been contentious and, not rarely, sectarian target of diverse ideologies. This article marks the genesis of religious and private education in Brazil. The text presents also the major milestones of the role of private education in the Brazilian educational development, particularly from the perspective of relations between the educational institutions and private confessional and state, fought throughout the history of the country. Similarly the article raises the question of state intervention in free enterprise in education, as well as, the impact and contribution of the private action to overcome the contemporary educational challenges in Brazil.