PRIVATIZATION OF EDUCATION AND LITERACY POLICIES IN BRAZIL: RECONFIGURATIONS OF PUBLIC ACTION IN A NEOLIBERAL CONTEXT

Abstract

This article aims to discuss how the processes of education privatization reconfigure public action in literacy policies in Brazil under a neoliberal logic. It is a qualitative and theoretical-analytical study based on a literature review and consultation of selected documents to obtain supporting evidence for a better understanding of the theme under investigation. The discussions indicate that the State has been progressively shifted from a direct provider to a regulator and evaluator, centralizing management through targets, large-scale assessments, and partnerships with private actors. This reconfiguration intensifies curricular standardization, restricts teacher autonomy, and subordinates pedagogical practice to the logic of measurable performance. Moreover, the application of homogeneous criteria across diverse social contexts reinforces educational inequalities. The study concludes that both endogenous and exogenous privatization strengthen mechanisms of control and individual accountability, shifting the focus from the right to education to the measurement of results, and recommends expanding teacher participation and reaffirming the role of the State in ensuring equitable policies.