IT IS NECESSARY TO TALK ABOUT EJA. LACK OF INVESTMENTS, EMPTY AND THE FAILURE OF PUBLIC POLICIES: THE CHALLENGES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS FACE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION IN BRAZIL

Abstract

The agenda on education in Brazil included in the UN's “Agenda 2030” - to ensure that all young people and adults are literate by 2030 - collides with the serious crises that EJA - Youth and Adult Education currently faces in the country. The failure of public policies and the lack of capital funds to be made available are the strongest reasons for this crisis. Historically, investment in education in Brazil has been progressively declining since 2010 to the present day. In addition, there is the socio-historical finding of the progressive emptying of EJA in the basic education system, which points to a process of closing schools, classes and the reduction of enrollments. However, there is a large contingent of Brazilians who still need to complete high school. The Movimento pela Base (2022) states that with good public policies and better investment, EJA can provide many Brazilians with better job opportunities and even admission to a higher education course. For this, it is necessary to stop dismantling EJA policies with democratic governance; promote actions to rescue the education of young people and adults as a human right and review its National Curriculum Guidelines in order to once again consider the socioeconomic and sociocultural situation of the EJA public. It is of great importance to talk about this educational modality, to gather students' opinions about EJA. The author of this article developed a case study with a sample of students from Elementary School Herondina Lima Cavalcante and Elementary School Cristo Redentor, both located in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. The data obtained through the semi-structured questionnaire instrument were collected and statistically treated in the Excel program. The results revealed that most students from both schools claimed to need EJA, feel motivated to continue their studies and finish high school. When questioned about how EJA could be improved, students pointed out the flexibility of schedule; greater investments in the school; new teaching methods; access to information technologies and digital inclusion.