EDUCATIONAL PUBLIC POLICIES AND STRUCTURAL INEQUALITIES: AN INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF BRAZILIAN YOUTH

Abstract

This study analyzes Brazilian educational public policies from the perspective of structural inequalities affecting youth, based on a qualitative and descriptive-analytical approach supported by a literature review and secondary data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE, 2023). The research examines how gender, race, territory, and schooling intersect, shaping a persistent scenario of exclusion that keeps more than 10.8 million young people outside both school and the labor market. Drawing on the contributions of Ball, Barroso, Amaral, Rossi, and Dweck, the study shows that educational inequality is not merely a reflection but an active mechanism in reproducing social hierarchies. It argues that underfunding and federative fragmentation limit the effectiveness of policies, while the austerity framework imposed by Constitutional Amendment No. 95/2016 undermines the redistributive role of the State. The analysis demonstrates that only intersectoral, planned, and continuous policies—integrating education, economy, and social inclusion—can address the historical roots of exclusion. It recommends further studies on professional training, digital inclusion, and Youth and Adult Education (EJA) programs to inform more effective and lasting public policies. The study concludes that guaranteeing the right to education means ensuring the right to emancipation, an essential condition for building a more equitable and democratic future.