Kroton
Kroton Educacional was born 49 years ago in Belo Horizonte (MG), with the creation of the university entrance preparatory course Pitágoras. Today, it serves approximately 1.4 million students – 931,000 in on-campus and distance learning post-secondary education, 56,000 at postgraduate level, 33,000 in technical courses, 85,000 in non-regulated courses (open and preparatory programs) and 290,000 in Primary and Secondary education, through 876 associated schools all over Brazil. [G4-3, G4-6 and G4-9]
With the mission of guaranteeing access to quality education for all, in recent years the company has focused on expanding its activities in different markets and regions in Brazil. To drive capillarity, in 2014 Kroton merged with Anhanguera Educacional – at the time one of the largest private teaching institutions in Latin America, with a strong focus on on-campus and distance learning higher education. [G4-13]
Currently, Kroton has approximately 38 thousand employees, working at its units, its distance learning centers and its three corporate offices, located in Belo Horizonte (MG), in São Paulo (SP) and in Valinhos (SP). [G4-5]
The company today
Kroton is the leader in education and in the development of educational technologies. The company operates through a business model aimed at serving students from infant school through to their doctoral degree.
Higher Education: : Kroton offers undergraduate degree courses and postgraduate degree and non-degree courses. These are available in on-campus or distance learning format under the Anhanguera, Fama, Pitágoras, Uniasselvi, Unic, Uniderp, Unime, Unirondon and Unopar brands.
The company has 130 face-to-face teaching units and the two largest higher education distance learning institutions in Brazil, Unopar and Uniderp. These are backed up by 726 accredited face-to-face support centers accredited by the Ministry of Education (MEC), located in 550 municipalities in every state in Brazil.
Currently distance education is the fastest growing format in the country. The factors driving this increased demand include flexible study times, ease of access for those living far from large centers and the use of new technologies, which make the courses more accessible and interactive.
What are the face-to-face support centers?
The face-to-face support center is an operational unit which develops educational activities related to distance learning courses. It comprises an information technology laboratory, library, rooms for the transmission of classes, an office, among others. When students attend the center, they receive support from a tutor.
Primary and Secondary Education (Infant, Junior and Secondary Education): this involves the Pitágoras network, responsible for supplying teaching systems for some 290 thousand students in 876 associated schools. The system comprises teaching materials, training and appraisal services and educational technology for teachers and students.
Technical courses: the company offers study scholarships by means of the Ministry of Education's Pronatec (Programa Nacional de Acesso ao Ensino Técnico e Emprego) program.
Other courses: Kroton offers preparatory courses for civil service examinations and for the OAB (Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil) bar examination, via the brand LFG, specialized in this segment.