GET da Maré is a finalist for the Best Schools in the World Award 2026.

Students at the Colaboratory, a space equipped with 3D printers, robotics kits, virtual reality glasses, and computers - Press release / SME

The GET IV Centenário Municipal School, in Maré, North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, is a finalist for the 2026 World's Best School Prizes in the Overcoming Adversity category. The award – also known as the World Cup of Schools – recognizes creative and impactful educational practices in vulnerable areas that stand out for transforming students' lives and can be replicated in other educational institutions. Even in extremely hostile territory, the school offers innovative educational conditions centered on emotional security, student empowerment, creativity, and hope.

The GET IV Centenário school, which serves students from 1st to 5th grade, received attention from the organizers of the Best in the World Award for its "Dream Factory" project. This educational model brings together a set of intentional practices aimed at placing the student at the center of the process, stimulating in them the desire to overcome challenges and believe that it is possible to build a future beyond the violence around them.

– It is a great source of pride to see GET IV Centenário among the 10 best schools in the world. This international recognition celebrates the strength of our Municipal Network and the daily work of each teacher, school staff member, and student. It reaffirms that, with organized management, a pedagogical focus, and the unwavering belief that every student can learn, results will happen. We will continue investing in innovation, inclusion, and integration to expand opportunities, strengthen trajectories, and ensure that our children and adolescents have their lives transformed by education – celebrated the Municipal Secretary of Education, Hugo Nepomuceno.

The pedagogical approach is based on Education 5.0, which uses technology not as an end in itself, but as a tool to expand opportunities, creativity, collaboration, and inclusion. Students work in the Collaboratory, a maker space equipped with 3D printers, robotics kits, virtual reality glasses, and computers. In this environment, they investigate real-world community problems and develop practical solutions through STEAM-based learning (an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). The dynamic is unique because it combines the pillars of family, emotional support, and student empowerment.

Tide of Possibilities

A typical day at school includes the use of technology, project-based learning, socio-emotional development, and hands-on problem-solving. Teachers play a central role in creating stability. One of the highlights is the "Coffee with Music and Conversation" event, which prepares the cognitive and emotional groundwork before the day begins. In this event, students are invited to take on the challenge of putting their emotions "on the table." Teachers and students share feelings, talk about personal experiences, and choose how they will regulate their emotions together to start the learning day.

"Those 20 minutes make all the difference in getting the gears turning. This methodology of active listening and individualized attention stimulates the engagement of principals, teachers, staff, students, parents, and guardians, which is reflected in good results such as grades, attendance, and quality indicators. It also helps with emotional regulation and creates a friendly environment for students exposed to insecurity to dream of a Tide of Possibilities," said the principal of GET IV Centenário, Alessandra Aguiar.

The winners in each category will be announced in November 2026. Voting can be done online. 

The winning and finalist schools will be invited to participate in the World Schools Summit, which will take place in London on January 16 and 17, 2027, bringing together educators, policymakers, and leaders from the education sector to share experiences and best practices.

Methodology and results

Families are an essential part of the school culture. At the beginning of the year, they participate in collaborative planning, share goals and projects, and define responsibilities together with the school. Every two months, pedagogical meetings take place where teachers, students, and families analyze learning data. They also discuss difficulties, strategies, and decisions on how to support each child. The applied methodology will be incorporated into another 350 schools in the Rio de Janeiro municipal network, with the potential for expansion to other schools in the municipal network. The IV Centenário school achieved 97% literacy at the appropriate age, over 90% attendance, and zero school dropout.

Global awards

Created in 2022, the World's Best School Prizes is a renowned global award, promoted by the T4 Education platform, an international organization that connects educators from over 100 countries. The award is supported by the Lemann Foundation, American Express, and Accenture. It has five categories: Innovation, Environmental Action, Community Collaboration, Overcoming Adversity, and Supporting Healthy Lives. Winning schools share cash prizes, with the funds invested in continuous improvements for their own institution.