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Study Shows That Nearly One Quarter of Brazilian Youth Do Not Work or Study, Revealing a Serious Social and Economic Problem. While Developed Countries Advance with Inclusion Policies, Brazil Follows a Worrying Path.
Imagine a country where nearly one quarter of young adults neither study nor work. A concerning scenario that raises the red alert for the economy and the future of a nation.
This alarming reality is revealed by a recent OECD study, highlighting that Brazil is increasingly distancing itself from developed countries. The situation is serious and can directly affect the country’s economic growth and social well-being.
But what is the true dimension of this problem and what is being done to reverse it? Before answering, it is important to understand the numbers and context behind this “neither-nor” generation and what it represents for Brazil in the coming years.
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According to the Education at a Glance 2024 study released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 24% of Brazilian youth between 25 and 34 years old neither work nor study.
This data puts Brazil in an unfavorable situation, with a “neither-nor” proportion that is much higher than the average of developed countries, which is 13.8%. Even with a slight improvement since 2016, when the rate was 29.4%, Brazil still has a long way to go. Experts highlight that, despite the decline, the rate remains alarming.
The Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD), from IBGE, also provides a concerning outlook. In 2022, about 20% of young Brazilians aged 15 to 29 were in the same situation. In other words, more than 9.6 million young people who could be contributing to the country’s growth are, in fact, out of the labor market and classrooms.
But why do so many young people abandon their studies or stop looking for work? The need to work is one of the main reasons pointed out, according to PNAD.
About 40.2% of young people say they had to drop out of school to seek an income, even if they do not always manage to get a job. Additionally, issues such as early pregnancy and the responsibility of household chores, especially among women, also weigh heavily in the decision to leave school.
International Comparison and Economic Challenges
While Brazil struggles with this high number of inactive youth, developed OECD countries, such as Finland and Germany, show significantly lower rates.
In Finland, for example, about 68% of students complete vocational training alongside high school, which increases their employability chances right after graduation. In Brazil, only 10% of students take this path, highlighting the need for a more robust educational reform.
The Brazilian economy also faces structural challenges. In recent years, economic crises such as those of 2015-2016 and the impacts of the 2020 pandemic compromised the quantity and quality of jobs in the country.
As a result, the proportion of young people who see themselves without opportunities has increased, creating a difficult cycle to break. To further complicate matters, Brazil is aging rapidly, and the end of the so-called “demographic bonus” — a period when most of the population is of working age — is imminent.
Without an increase in productivity and the inclusion of youth in the labor market, the country may face serious difficulties in sustaining increased social spending, especially on pensions and health care, experts warn.
Education as a Solution
To reverse this alarming trend, experts indicate that improving the quality of basic education is crucial.
Brazil ranks among the lowest in the international PISA ranking, which assesses the education of different countries. Investing in technical and vocational education is one of the proposed solutions, but the challenges in implementing this model remain significant.
The high school reform, approved in 2017, aimed to make the curriculum more flexible and make room for more technical and vocational content.
However, the implementation of this new format faced obstacles, and adjustments were made in 2024, with the promise of improvement in the coming years. Full-time education, which increases the number of hours students spend at school, is another proposal that has gained traction among experts and educational authorities.
In addition, the inclusion of subjects that encourage critical thinking and practical skills, such as the use of artificial intelligence, can better prepare youth for the future of work, which will be increasingly technological and automated.
Gender and Race Inequality in the Labor Market
Although Brazilian women generally achieve better academic results than men, they still face significant difficulties in the labor market.
In Brazil, only 44% of women with incomplete high school education are employed, while this number reaches 80% among men in the same age group. Even among those with higher education, women earn significantly less than their male counterparts.
This gender inequality, as pointed out in the OECD report, is common in many countries, but in Brazil, it is intensified by historical and social factors.
And it is not just women who suffer from a lack of opportunities. Young black and brown people, despite advances provided by quotas in public universities, still face difficulties accessing higher education and qualified jobs.
The Future of the Neither-Nor Generation
The persistence of a high proportion of “neither-nor” youth in Brazil represents a major challenge for the country’s future. Without effective public policies to reintegrate these young people into the labor market and the educational system, Brazil risks perpetuating a cycle of inequality and economic stagnation.
The question remains: will Brazil be able to reverse this trend and ensure a more promising future for its youth? The answer will depend on the choices made in the coming years, both in terms of public policies and investments in education and employment.
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