Public education, digital technology access, and remote education in the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Abstract

This study endeavors to provide a comprehensive overview of the availability and utilization of digital technology in elementary education during the COVID-19 pandemic while analyzing the educational policies within the Brazilian public education system. By analyzing relevant documents, the findings expose disparities in internet usage among students from public and private schools, which is attributed to the correlation between digital technology access and family income. In addition, pronounced regional and territorial inequalities in education emerge, notably between the Northeast and South regions, as well as between rural and urban areas. The data further revealed that approximately one million students enrolled in public high schools lacked internet access in 2019, posing major challenges for public educational institutions in implementing remote teaching in 2020. The gravity of the situation is exacerbated by the absence of envisioned public policies aimed at providing extensive and secure digital resources to nurture inclusive education for all.