Education of people with disabilities in Rio Grande do Sul in view of the right to education

Abstract

This paper addresses the flow of special education students in schools in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, along early childhood, primary, secondary education, and in Youth and Adult Education, with a focus on the age group corresponding to compulsory schooling (4-17 years), in accordance with the Brazilian law. The study is grounded on the analysis of statistics derived from micro-data from the School Census of Compulsory Education in Rio Grande do Sul. Understanding that the guarantee to the right to education requires access, permanence and flow in school, we analyzed the number of enrollments of children and adolescents, considering their age and education level/modality, both in regular and special classes/schools, with particular attention to secondary education. Statistics have shown that the percentage of students with disabilities who completed secondary education at the expected age (17 years old) is lower than 5% of the total number of enrollments in this age group in regular classes. In special education settings, this number decreases to 1% of the total number of enrollments. There is also retention of students with disabilities older than six years in early childhood education, as well as in the literacy cycle (1st to 3rd grade), a situation that is more serious in special classes/schools, and thus contradicts the national norms and guidelines. Finally, the study has pointed out the need for public policy for the construction of students’ school success and for better monitoring irregularities related to the guarantee to the right to education of special students.