Abstract

GOMES, Candido Alberto. Ensino médio obrigatório: que impactos?. Est. Aval. Educ. [online]. 2010, vol.21, n.46, pp.319-340. ISSN 0103-6831.

The introduction of compulsory secondary education raises questions about the benefits and burdens of extending schooling as well as its social distribution. Although statistical data on Brazil cannot provide replies to the ample questions, the National Household Sampling Surveys (PNAD) open the doors for exploring some dues. The population's average number of schooling years has grown in line with the demands to work. However, some data suggest the occurrence of educational inflation. Furthermore, the concurrence of work has led to significant student dropout as of 14-15 years of age. They leave school or study while working. As a result of the high level of age-grade distortion, youngsters, though persistent as findings reveal, face the obstacles of increasing competition with labor, low degree of curricula attractiveness and high repetition and dropout rates at the first grade of secondary school, as well as a modest role played by vocational technical education. Therefore, this scenario requires caution in implanting compulsiveness, in particular for socially disadvantaged youngsters. In conclusion, besides necessary profound secondary education changes, it is essential to face serious quality and efficiency problems in nine-year primary education, since they have deep repercussions on secondary education, especially age-grade distortion.

Keywords : Secondary Education; Labor; Vocational Education; Poor School Performance.

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