Rural Youth, Access to Education and Rural Permanence

A Study with the Youth from the Community of Pirajá, in Currais, Piauí, Brazil

Abstract

Most studies on rural youth address education as a central dimension of their social experience and understanding. Drawing on this literature and the first author's personal experiences, research on these topics was conducted in the context of a rural community in the interior of the state of Piauí, in Brazil, where she is from. Thus, this article aims to understand the relationship between access to education and rural permanence among young people from the rural community of Pirajá, in Currais, Piauí. The research employed a qualitative approach and used semi-structured interviews with four young people from the Pirajá community, as well as secondary data about the municipality. The results demonstrate that the closure or absence of rural schools forces many rural youths to migrate to cities in search of educational opportunities. While continuing their studies, they face significant challenges, such as a lack of infrastructure and educational resources. Furthermore, the research highlights the urgency of public policies that prioritize rural education, aiming to ensure the maintenance and construction of schools that meet the needs of young people, in order to reverse the cycle of devaluation of rural life and foster an environment that allows young people to remain in their places of origin.