A study by Itaú Educação e Trabalho and the Roberto Marinho Foundation reveals 9.8 million Brazilian youths lack basic education.
Released Monday (11), the research shows most of these youths (78%) come from low-income families, and 70% are Afro-Brazilian.
Specifically, 43% didn’t complete elementary school, 22% finished elementary but didn’t proceed to high school, and 35% started but didn’t finish high school.
Notably, 80% have been out of school for over two years, averaging six years. A significant portion (84%) is in the workforce, with 69% employed, primarily in informal sectors.
Ana Inoue underscores vocational training for dignified employment and career growth aligned with labor market needs.
Interestingly, 73% aim to finish their basic education, driven by desires for better jobs (37%), employment (15%), and higher education (28%).
However, 27% don’t see completion as feasible, citing work (32%) and family care (17%) as barriers. Yet, 92% believe finishing basic education would improve job prospects.
Inoue emphasizes improving vocational education to meet job needs and offer opportunities for this demographic.
In short, Ministry of Education‘s “Pé-de-Meia” program (2024) aims to promote access, reduce inequality, and encourage social mobility through education.