Viana highlights the role of mathematics in the country's development.

“Mathematics is education, it is development, and it is also democracy and citizenship,” stated Marcelo Viana, Director-General of IMPA, during the roundtable “Quality Mathematics Education for a Sovereign Country,” held at the 1st National Seminar of the All Mathematics Commitment , hosted by the Institute. The statement reinforces the meeting's objective: to show that mathematics education is not just a school subject, but a strategic element for the country's future.

Viana presented to the public some of IMPA's main contributions to the country, such as the development of IMPA Tech, the Institute's undergraduate program aimed at training highly qualified professionals for the job market; the annual organization of the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools) and the OBMEP Mirim, aimed at students from the 2nd to the 5th grade of elementary school; among others. The most recent, announced at the opening of the event, is the creation of an Olympiad aimed at basic education teachers, which seeks to improve the teaching of the subject among teachers in this segment. Check out the details here .

In highlighting these initiatives, Viana emphasized that IMPA has been working on multiple fronts to strengthen mathematics in the country—from high-level training and talent discovery to valuing teachers. He recalled that IMPA Tech was inspired by a study conducted by the Itaú Foundation, which analyzed the weight of mathematics-intensive occupations in the Brazilian economy. The diagnosis showed that Brazil has only 4.8% of its GDP linked to these activities, while in countries like France this percentage reaches 18%. For the director-general of IMPA, expanding this participation is essential to increase productivity, reduce inequalities, and boost national development. “If we want to take a real leap forward as a country, we need to train more young people capable of working in sectors that depend heavily on mathematics.”

The roundtable discussion included the participation of Patrícia Mota Guedes, from the Itaú Foundation, who provided details about the study "Contribution of Mathematics to the Brazilian Economy," conducted by the institution. Patrícia explained that the research arose after reading an article by Viana himself in Folha de S. Paulo , in which he reported how France monitored mathematical occupations to guide public policies. Inspired by this, the Foundation sought the French methodology, adapted it to the Brazilian context, and produced a groundbreaking survey, with support from IMPA, which now serves as a basis for debates in education, planning, economics, science, and technology. "When we realized that there was no similar study in Brazil, we understood that there was a gap and an opportunity to contribute to the public debate," she stated.

The results, Patricia stated, helped to open a new dialogue in the country, showing that mathematics is not just a field of knowledge, but a driver of economic and social development. She also celebrated the fact that IPEA ( Institute for Applied Economic Research) deepened its analysis in 2025, confirming that even professions traditionally distant from mathematics are increasingly demanding skills in the area—and that workers who master this knowledge are earning higher incomes.

Closing the panel, Patrícia highlighted that initiatives such as IMPA Tech, OBMEP, and the upcoming OBMEP Mirim Teachers' Olympiad demonstrate how Brazilian society can advance when universities, foundations, education networks, and governments work together in a coordinated manner. For her, placing mathematics at the center of the national agenda is essential to expanding opportunities and reducing inequalities. "When we guarantee the right to learn mathematics, we expand people's future—and, with that, the future of the country," she concluded.

IMPA hosts the 1st Seminar of the National Commitment to All Mathematics.

Organized by the Ministry of Education (MEC), the 1st National Commitment Seminar "All Mathematics" was the stage for the launch of the Governance Guide — a document aimed at municipal, district, and state education leaders that details the governance axis of the policy —, qualification courses, and training materials for the initial years of Elementary Education related to the commitment.

Mesa de abertura

The Secretary of Basic Education at the Ministry of Education (MEC), Kátia Schweickardt, emphasized that, in addition to guaranteeing the right to think about the world through words, it is also necessary to encompass logical thinking and see the mathematics present in everything. For her, it is crucial that all Brazilian students have their right to adequate mathematical learning ensured, with special attention given to children and early childhood education.

“We are succeeding in placing the importance of mathematics learning, linked to literacy strategies, at the heart of Brazilian basic education; and using the strength of collaborative governance, which can help Brazilian municipalities fulfill the rights of our children. We are doing this together. The 'All Mathematics Commitment' is the turning point that our children, adolescents, young people, teachers, and professors in Brazil deserve; we will deliver this for our country. Education and primary education are the key to this revolution that we must make,” stated the secretary.