Registration for the National High School Examination (Enem) ended on June 16. In this 2023 edition, the number of subscribers exceeded 4.6 million, however, it is about half of the 8.7 million subscribers in 2014, almost a decade ago.
Are young people failing to see Enem as a gateway to success? According to experts, yes.
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A good part of young students no longer believe that the National High School Examination (Enem) is the main opportunity to build a successful adult life.
The reasons behind the decrease in interest in the Enem
Several reasons are pointed out for this change in perspective, one of them being the lack of programs government incentives, which has led high school students to choose to work instead of perform the exam.
Since 2017, the total number of enrollments in Enem has been decreasing, but in recent years this drop has been more pronounced.
The impact of the pandemic
As stated at the beginning of the text, in 2014 there was a record of more than 8.7 million candidates, while in 2022 that number dropped to just over 4.3 million.
The coronavirus pandemic, which occurred between 2020 and 2022, also aggravated the situation, making 2021 the year with the least interest in the exam since 2005, with only 3.1 million registered.
The function of the Enem and its changes
According to Professor Ana Karina Brenner, from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Uerj), Enem no longer has the function of certifying the completion of high school, which led many people to enroll not to enter higher education, but to obtain a degree in conclusion.
In addition, many young people find it difficult to complete the high school because they come from low-income families and need to work to guarantee their immediate subsistence, which also leads to the postponement of the exam.
Absence of youth incentive programs
Experts also point to the lack of support programs for young people, such as housing and food grants, as another influencing factor.
Many low-income students who enter universities through quotas end up dropping out due to the lack of these benefits.
And, in addition to the impact on the exam directly, the pandemic has also made it difficult to complete high school in several ways, affecting young people's motivation in relation to the Enem.
And what could solve this problem?
Faced with this scenario, experts emphasize the importance of offering hope to young people and promoting structural changes.
That is, it is essential that the state schools help students prepare for the Enem, establishing a connection between completing high school and enrolling in the exam.
Likewise, government support through public policies is essential to enable access and the permanence of young people in higher education, reducing the costs and challenges faced by families.
“The youth need to have new hopes regarding the positive possibilities for the future”, highlights Ana Karina Brenner.
In 2023, with the end of the pandemic and the increase in undergraduate scholarships, a spark of hope seems to have emerged: the number of applicants was 8.2% higher than last year.