Maria Antonia Oliveira

A Brazilian educator who pioneered inclusive education for marginalized communities in Amazonia during the 1960s.

Maria Antonia Oliveira (1925–2012) revolutionized education in Brazil's Amazon region through her innovative methods targeting indigenous and riverine communities. Born in Belém, she witnessed the stark educational disparities in the Amazon during her childhood. After studying pedagogy in São Paulo, she returned to found the Maria Antônia Educational Network in 1965, which used riverboats to deliver classes to remote villages.

Her Didática Amazônica curriculum integrated indigenous knowledge with formal education, a model later adopted by UNESCO. Despite facing censorship during Brazil's military dictatorship, she continued advocating for multicultural education. The IBGE reports her initiatives increased literacy rates by 40% in the region. Her autobiography Between Rivers and Books details her challenges and triumphs.