Conect+EDU is an internationally acclaimed platform, and all cities that have adopted it have seen improvements in their indicators: Rodrigo Alcantara

“We are shaping a new paradigm.” 

Conect+EDU is essentially a comprehensive school management platform that oversees all schools, controls processes, and supports all involved parties. More than just a management platform, Conect+EDU is an intuitive productivity tool. Everything in it operates with just two clicks.

A significant aspect of the platform is the decentralization of management, providing everyone involved the ability to perform their tasks through the application. This includes parents, students, teachers, pedagogues, school bus drivers, janitors, cooks, nutritionists, librarians, administrators, Secretary of Education, and others.

The platform collects data generated by users, directs information, automates processes, generates statistical data, produces graphs, reports, sends messages, integrates services, and improves itself with the use of artificial intelligence. All of this is carried out with full respect for the privacy guidelines of the users' data.

The Silicon Review reached out to Rodrigo Alcantara, Operational Director at Conect+EDU, and here’s what he had to say.

Interview Highlights

Please tell us about the circumstances or events that led to the founding of Conect+EDU.

The Conect+EDU platform originated from a significant personal experience. Upon arriving at my mother's condominium, I found my nephew playing soccer during school hours. Intrigued, I asked him to get ready for school, and that's when he informed me that his mother had withdrawn him from school. The idea of an 11-year-old out of school seemed unreasonable, prompting me to call his mother and inquire about the decision to remove him from school in the middle of the academic year. She explained that the decision was based on behavior, absences, and the child's low performance, stating that it didn't make sense to continue with private school, opting instead to send him to a public school as a form of punishment.

This incident revealed a significant problem in Brazilian education. For eight months, the school did not communicate any issues, the family did not monitor the child, and the boy, at just 11 years old, had the autonomy to decide his own life.

That's when I decided to create a tool to keep families informed about students' progress, including attendance, activities, grades, exams, school announcements, and more. It sounds like something out of a fairy tale. In just 24 hours, I sketched all the system screens, already understanding the purpose of the platform. With the collaboration of my wife and a close developer friend, we embarked on the greatest adventure of our lives.

I began the project by seeking the path through public schools for development. We started in a city in the northeastern backlands, a poor region of the Brazilian interior. Upon arrival, we realized that the problems were even more significant. There was no effective management in that place; an absence in school took four months to reach the education department. It was impossible to manage in this way. We understood the difficulties of the managers and focused on solving more critical issues, developing tools to assist with enrollment, school meals, school transportation, online enrollment, pedagogical planning, school access control, pedagogical content, and more.

When we realized it, we had created a platform that handled all processes, involving the entire school community. Conect+EDU became the solution we had always dreamed of, ensuring that no student, family, or school manager is left out of the educational process.

Setbacks are a part of every growing business. Tell us about a few roadblocks and learning lessons that helped Conect+EDU grow through the years. 

During the pandemic, facing the world's greatest health crisis, it was crucial to ensure, in record time, that tens of thousands of public school students could continue their studies. Recognizing that the disruptions in classes could have serious repercussions on the progress of these children, our goal was to provide teachers, students, and families with the ability to interact and manage these lessons. However, it wasn't just about offering video calls between students and teachers; we had a commitment to effective management. We knew it was necessary to deliver a comprehensive experience with content, attendance control, activities, exams, and more.

Real-time monitoring of the academic progress of the children became paramount, and we achieved this. In the process, we incorporated inclusive tools to ensure that students with disabilities could autonomously use the platform. As a result, millions of hours of classes were conducted, contributing to universal access to education during this challenging period.

Q. As one of the most promising education technology solutions providers in Latin America, what are Conect+EDU’s key focus areas? 

Many believe that the educational challenge in Latin America lies within the classroom. Currently, there is a significant effort to implement methodologies that facilitate student learning. However, in Latin American countries, the real challenge is in school management. Thousands of cities in Latin America still operate in an analog manner, managing billions of dollars in public funds on paper. With thousands of schools serving millions of students, effective management policies are needed to achieve the desired academic results.

In practice, Conect+EDU sheds light on this issue by overseeing all aspects of school and pedagogical management, connecting administrators, education professionals, teachers, students, and guardians. Despite a large population with a low Human Development Index (HDI), research indicates that there are more smartphones than people in Latin America. We understand that this can indeed be a significant opportunity to provide integration and knowledge to these communities.

Efficient school management ensures that the gears function correctly. Transportation, meals, uniforms, attendance, pedagogical planning, security, content, BI (Business Intelligence), diagnostic assessments are just a few of the solutions available on the platform.

Q. Can you provide us with one or two success stories, detailing specific user challenges and how Conect+EDU’s solutions contributed to their success?

These are small revolutions with significant results. The cities that have engaged with our platform have seen a substantial improvement in their educational indices. However, I would like to highlight the transformations that have occurred in people's lives. There are cases where school dropout rates have been reduced to zero, thanks to real-time monitoring controls that allow the school community to address the issue immediately.

Another crucial aspect is related to enrollment. Previously, people faced the need to camp outside school doors in search of a spot. Hundreds of individuals set up tents in the hope of securing a place for their children. With Conect+EDU, no one needs to go through this situation anymore. The platform locates available spots near residences, taking into account the specific needs of each student.

Q. Tell us about the Conect+EDU team. What value do they bring to the company? 

We didn't reinvent school management. There are various tools in the market focused on academic control of students. However, we understand that the challenges of management are interdisciplinary; schools have other needs not addressed by the management platforms available. We identified the challenges faced by educational networks and developed comprehensive solutions.

Some of our team members have been with us since the company's inception. Commitment, sensitivity, creativity, respect, and hard work are the core values that define our company.

We are truly shaping the future when we talk about educating the new generation. We are helping to define the world we want to live in. It's not just a business; it's a purpose. Conect+EDU is treated with commitment by everyone working in the company. I would like to express my gratitude to the entire team and partners of the company who help us evolve every day.

Remembering that, as Alan Kay once said, "The best way to predict the future is to invent it."

Q. What new endeavors is Conect+EDU currently undertaking?   

We are expanding our presence throughout the Brazilian territory and initiating new projects in Latin America and Africa.

Q. How do you see Conect+EDU changing in five years, and how do you see yourself creating that change?      

We are shaping a new paradigm. The results indicate that it is possible to achieve greater efficiency with the resources already available in people's lives. Our intention is to expand the use of our technology to other countries, especially those with low human development. We firmly believe that we cannot improve the world without investing in education.

Conect+EDU has represented a significant evolution for us, but it has not yet reached its peak. We continue in search

of the most effective and intuitive way to contribute to the betterment of the world. We believe that without educating our children, achieving this goal is not viable. 

Q. Is there anything you would like to add before we wrap up?  

From daycare to college, Conect+EDU provides comprehensive control, delivering a productive and innovative experience to all users. Everything in Conect+EDU is designed to be executed with just two clicks, leveraging technologies that involve people and provide managers with information that has the potential to revolutionize education in the city.

Conect+EDU is an internationally acclaimed platform, and all cities that have adopted it have seen improvements in their indicators.

Rodrigo Alcantara | In His Own Words

I was a student in the public education system in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the age of nine, my interest in engineering was sparked, and soon I was taking my first steps with AutoCAD. By the age of 11, I was already involved in the professional field. Over 20 years, I dedicated myself to engineering, working for major companies in the sector in Brazil and participating in significant projects in civil, mechanical, electrical, telecommunications, and petroleum engineering.

The last nine years have been devoted to education. I knew that the knowledge accumulated over the years would be the foundation to embark on what would become the great purpose of my life.

Unfortunately, Brazil ranks among the worst countries in the world in education. Education provided me with everything, and I felt it was my responsibility to give back to society.

God granted me the opportunity to share this project with the world, but none of it would be possible without the support of my wife, my team, and my partners. Over one million users use Conect+EDU, and every day we are contributing to providing the best possible experience for children in the public education system, in what we consider the best platform in the world.

“We incorporated inclusive tools to ensure that students with disabilities could autonomously use the platform. As a result, millions of hours of classes were conducted, contributing to universal access to education during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“We are expanding our presence throughout the Brazilian territory and initiating new projects in Latin America and Africa.”