PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN BRAZIL: EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITIES, INCLUSION, AND DISPUTES OVER MEANING IN SCHOOLING PROCESSES

Abstract

This article critically analyses the opposition between public and private schools in the context of brazilian basic education, questioning the idea that private schools provide a stronger foundation for access to higher education and the labor market. The study is based on the hypothesis that academic performance is strongly associated with out-of-school factors, such as socioeconomic status, cultural capital, and access to educational resources, rather than solely with school quality. This is a qualitative, theoretical-analytical study grounded in a literature review with emphasis on recent academic research. The analysis shows that the apparent superiority of private schools is related to prior structural conditions, whereas public schools, despite their limitations, play a central role in promoting educational equity, inclusion, and citizenship formation. It is concluded that the evaluation of educational quality must consider the broader social context, avoiding reductionist interpretations based only on performance indicators.