The World Bank's Human Capital Index shows that a Brazilian child reaches adulthood with 56% of the productivity that he or she could have if he or she had access to adequate education and health care. According to the survey, the Brazilian index is close to the world average, but below what would be expected for a country with its income level.
“Building roads and bridges can generate rapid economic and political benefits. But investing in children’s human capital will not yield economic returns until those children grow up and join the workforce,” says the World Bank. According to the study, this perception leads to underinvestment in public policies for children. “Human capital is a determining factor in defining the destiny of countries,” said Jaime Saavedra, the World Bank’s global director of education and former minister of education of Peru.
