EDUCATIONAL REFORMS AND THE JUDICIALIZATION OF LITERACY: CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES IN ENSURING THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This article analyzes the impacts of educational reforms on literacy and the role of the Judiciary in the face of state omission in guaranteeing this fundamental right. It is a qualitative, bibliographic research based on authors such as Saviani (1992), Freire (1996), Sarmento (2013), and Soares (2017), among others. The study shows that, although programs such as the Pacto Nacional pela Alfabetização na Idade Certa (PNAIC) and Programa Mais Alfabetização (PMA) aimed to improve the quality of education, their discontinuity and lack of alignment with local needs have undermined their effectiveness. In this context, the judicialization of education emerges as a legitimate mechanism for the enforceability of rights, pressuring the State to adopt concrete measures to ensure access, retention, and learning, especially for children in vulnerable situations. The judicial decisions analyzed reveal transformative potential but require interinstitutional coordination and effective monitoring to ensure the implementation of educational policies. It is concluded that the realization of the right to literacy requires the articulation of judicial action, political commitment, and social participation, and must be guided by sustainable public policies grounded in pedagogical evidence and principles of equity and social justice.