In only 12 years, Lula and Dilma created 422 technical schools — three times more than all previous governments combined over one century of history (140 schools). They created 18 federal universities, 173 campuses and programs such as ProUni and Fies, which made access to higher education more democratic. Result: the country that took five centuries to have 3.5 million young people attending universities needed only 12 years to reach the current level of 7.1 million Brazilian university students.

With Lula and Dilma, teachers won a national wage base, which has risen 78.7% since it was created in 2009, with a real gains of 35.5%. The National Basic Education Teacher Training Plan guarantees higher education courses to educators who have not yet obtained college degrees. Precise evaluation instruments, such as Ideb (basic education) and Sinaes (higher education), make it possible to check quality and correct defects. Education improved on all levels and for everyone.

• Learn more about Brazil’s performance in the Program for International Student Assessment (Pisa).