Brazilian presidential candidate pledges universal preschool access

Brazilian presidential candidate Aecio Neves on Tuesday promised to provide universal access to preschool education and daycare if elected.

"We will guarantee universal access to daycare, through partnerships with local and state governments, as well as other organizations, so that we can quickly increase the number of available spots in daycare," Neves said during a press conference in Sao Paulo.

In Brazil, mandatory schooling goes from four to 17 years of age, comprising two years of preschooling, nine years of basic-school and three years of high-school education.

Basic schooling is universal around the country, but access to preschool and high-school education still needs to be improved.

Neves, who will face off against incumbent President Dilma Rousseff in a runoff on Oct. 26, also pledged to improve public school infrastructure, raise teachers' pay and allow high schools to adapt their curricula depending on the needs of Brazil's different regions.

In addition, he said he will invest in education for those who dropped out of school at a young age and never got their diplomas. Enditem