'No classes, no ENEM': campaign for postponement will include protests this Friday.

Current Brazil Network - Student movement organizations will hold an online demonstration on social media this Friday (15) for the postponement of the Enem. The date refers to the “Education Tsunami”, which last year took more than 1 million people to the streets across the country in defense of universities and public education. The movement is part of the campaign “No classes, no Enem”.

For organizations, maintaining the National High School Exam (ENEM) schedule amidst the COVID-19 pandemic will worsen inequalities in access to higher education. In addition to the health risks, young people complain about the lack of resources available to many students across Brazil. The Ministry of Education denies any changes to the registration and exam schedule.

The National Union of Students (UNE) and the Brazilian Union of Secondary School Students (Ubes) filed a lawsuit with the Superior Court of Justice this week, requesting the postponement of the ENEM exam. However, the STJ denied being the competent court to judge the case. “We also have…” a petition "We've already gathered over 150 signatures requesting a postponement, in order to put pressure on and block this exam," says the president of Ubes, Rozana Barroso.

Inequality

With schools closed, the recourse to distance learning exacerbates inequality, as many students lack access to digital resources. Research conducted by the NGO Casa Fluminense identified that almost half of the ENEM (Brazilian National High School Exam) candidates do not have a computer at home to follow online classes. Furthermore, the majority of these students attend public schools and live in states in the North and Northeast of Brazil.

“We have a scenario of students who need to share a room. They don't have a quiet environment to study, they are doing readings and schoolwork through cell phones and, often, they have to divide their time between work, family care, childcare, and other activities necessary for survival,” says anthropologist Yasmim Monteiro, from Casa Fluminense, to the newspaper. The Globe.

In São Paulo, the state coordinator of the Emancipa Network, Luana Alves, states that a large portion of her students only access the internet via cell phone. “Students in public schools already have difficulty competing on an equal footing. We conducted a survey with the 5 registered members of the Emancipa Network, and 98% have internet access, but only 50% via computer,” Luana reports in an interview with Dayane Ponte, from [publication name]. TVT.

No space

According to the campaign, 80% of students enrolled in public high schools have had their classes suspended. Furthermore, 40% of students lack a specific and adequate space for studying at home.

Rozana Barroso states that most schools across Brazil still use blackboards and chalk for classes. "At this moment, it's irresponsible to demand that students have the necessary infrastructure for distance learning," she said.

According to the head of Ubes, the importance of the campaign is to protect the dreams of Brazilian youth. "It's an injustice to maintain such an important exam in the lives of so many young people during a pandemic that has killed thousands. It seems the Bolsonaro government still hasn't understood the problem."