Brazil's College Entrance Exam Takers Are The Whitest and Most Elite in over A Decade

Bolsonaro government has withdrawn the registration fee exemption for those who missed the last test

São Paulo

This year, the Jair Bolsonaro government will hold the National High School Exam with the lowest proportion of black, brown, and indigenous people in the last ten years.

It will also be the exam with the lowest volume of candidates with fee exemptions – income of up to 1.5 minimum wages.

There were 3.1 million registrations this year, the lowest number in 14 years. The drop in enrollment reflects the federal decision to withdraw the fee exemption from those who missed the last edition of the test, which occurred at the height of the pandemic. The subject ended up in the Supreme Federal Court.

The Minister of Education, Milton Ribeiro, justified the withdrawal of the exemption as saving resources. According to him, the ministry cannot bear the costs of the test of those who were previously absent.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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