    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [October 14, 1997]
    [Pages 1365-1366]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Declaration of the United States-Brazil Partnership for Education
    October 14, 1997

        We the Presidents of the United States and Brazil recognize that a
    new reality is reshaping the world and that our citizens must be
    prepared to meet the challenges of a globalized world in the 21st
    century. Education is the key to the future. We recognize that working
    together we will harness inevitable change to the benefit of families in
    our countries.
        Literacy and a first-class educational foundation are critical
    determinants to the well-being of our citizens, the strength of our
    economies, and preserving the values we as democratically-elected
    leaders hold dear.
        Skilled and educated people are the foundations of strong
    democracies and market economies. We must, therefore, ask more of our
    educational systems than ever before. Our governments have similar
    initiatives promoting the development of modern information
    infrastructures that will facilitate economic growth and will be the
    foundation of new ways to teach and learn. Our students must be able to
    compete in a new and constantly-changing job market. This requires
    access to life-long learning programs and the ability to participate in
    and benefit from varied cultures outside our borders as well as to
    process and organize more disparate information than ever before.
    Education is needed to participate actively and knowledgeably in
    democratic, plural and diverse societies.
        The democracies of our hemisphere, which will take part in the next
    Summit of the Americas to be held next April in Santiago, agree that
    education must be a central element in our shared agenda. Bearing in
    mind the urgency of prompt, effective action, as a top priority we have
    separately launched, within our respective countries, new initiatives to
    raise the quality of education, particularly in the primary and
    secondary levels.
        And together, today, we hereby establish the United States-Brazil
    Partnership for Education. Expanding exchanges, upgrading standards,
    enhancing teacher training, increasing participation by the family,
    community and business as well as incorporating new technology underpin
    our partnership.

    Cooperation in the Development and Use of Technologies in Education

        New technologies make possible the broad dissemination of
    information and permit new teaching methods and practices such as
    distance learning and the use of computers. In addition, students must
    also master new technologies in preparation for a changing workplace and
    take part in economic development. We will take advantage of
    technologies such as the Internet to broaden cultural and language
    contacts for our students and teachers. We will jointly test and
    evaluate existing technologies, and facilitate development of
    appropriate new technologies, while engaging the private sector to
    assist with their introduction into the classroom.

    [[Page 1366]]

    Ensuring that Every Child Learns Through Educational Standards,
    Assessments, and Indicators

        Evaluating the performance of educational systems requires a clear
    definition of what schools should teach and what students are expected
    to know, as well as effective tools for measuring progress. Our
    governments will each establish standards for student performance in key
    subjects at appropriate levels, as well as the means to measure them. We
    will share experiences and information regarding progress on a
    continuous basis.

    Strengthening Preparation and Professional Development of Teachers and
    School Managers

        Excellent schools require excellent teachers and managers. We will
    seek to have qualified, dedicated teachers in all classrooms, at all
    grades. To support this goal, we will exchange experiences and evaluate
    alternative models for teacher preparation and training for school
    management officials. We will especially consider ways to improve
    training for science teachers of scientific disciplines at the primary
    and secondary levels.

    Increasing Educational Exchanges Between the United States and Brazil

        Already sharing a wide array of public and private educational
    exchange programs, the United States and Brazil will seek to expand
    exchanges at all levels, focusing on the priorities in this declaration.
    We will utilize existing and new mechanisms to establish a student
    exchange program for university students in mutually agreed areas such
    as engineering and technology. We will also consider a program of
    exchanges for language teachers to strengthen language skills and
    cultural ties between our countries. To assist private programs, we will
    explore methods for linking institutions to promote mutual recognition
    of educational credits.

    Enhancing Family, Community, and Business Involvement in Education

        Opportunities for learning extend beyond the formal classroom.
    Parents, family members, employers, employees, older students, and
    volunteers can effectively participate in the education of children,
    especially in literacy enhancement. We re-affirm that the private sector
    is partner in education and will promote its involvement in such areas
    as combatting illiteracy and student dropout rates and enhancing school
    administration and overall school development.

    Implementing the Partnership

        Finally, to ensure our partnership is vigorously implemented, we
    hereby establish the Education Partnership Implementation Commission
    (EPIC). Through regular meetings, EPIC will monitor implementation of
    actions outlined in the annex to the Memorandum of Understanding to
    which our governments subscribe today, as well as periodically formulate
    new actions. In furtherance of the precepts set forth in this
    Declaration, EPIC will also seek participation of the private sector and
    members of the public in implementation of this agreement. Working
    together, we will reinforce our common resolve, deepen our bonds of
    friendships, and prepare our children for the coming century.

                                                   William Jefferson Clinton

                                                   Fernando Henrique Cardoso

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this declaration.