This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) on the aims and problems of the second cycle of secondary education as perceived by the Fourth National Brazilian Conference on Education. The conference concluded that its aim was designed to provide general culture and vocational training, and a preparatory program for university entrance; the general education element, predominant in the first phase of the second cycle, needs to be reoriented towards science to provide a better basis for technical and vocational training. In the second cycle technical schools, it is desirable to introduce advanced training courses rounded off by cultural disciplines. For economic, sociological, and educational reasons, experiments in the concentration and integration of secondary curricula should be encouraged. The shortage of teachers and the inadequacy of training facilities for them makes expansion of some a necessity. Preference should be given to certificated teachers in public and private education and in literacy campaigns. Examinations for admission to universities should be designed with local and regional secondary school conditions in mind. Educational policy should be founded on the nation's cultural, social, and economic needs. (Author/GDB)