Almost 49 thousand students are behind in school in Amazonas Almost 49 thousand students from public and private schools are in a situation of age-grade distortion in Amazonas, according to data from the School Census of the Ministry of Education (MEC). The state has 48,918 students older than expected for the year in which they are enrolled, a reality that mainly affects rural and riverside communities, where the distance and difficulties in accessing school contribute to the gap. Although the age-grade distortion rate in secondary education fell by 27.9% in Brazil between 2022 and 2025, the North Region continues to concentrate the highest percentage in the country: 24.3%. According to experts, factors such as long distances, transportation difficulties, dry periods, frequent changes of housing and late entry to school help explain this scenario. In riverside communities in Amazonas, the school routine begins at dawn. In many locations, boats pass from house to house to pick up students, ensuring that they can reach their classrooms. Even so, the difficulties of commuting cause many students to abandon their studies, fail or fall behind in school. ? Join the g1 AM channel on WhatsApp In the Nossa Senhora do Livramento community, in the rural area of ??Manaus, the director of the municipal school, Roberta Barros, explains that the dryness of the rivers changes the routine of families and causes constant changes of address, which directly interferes with the continuity of studies. "Riverside people often move because of the drought. They go to another community or to Manaus in search of shelter. This means that the student needs to request a transfer and, often, interrupts their studies", he stated. In addition to the mobility of families, the operation of schools also needs to keep pace with the rivers. Academic calendars and class schedules are adapted according to the high and low periods, to ensure that students are able to reach their teaching units and return home safely. For education specialist Ernesto Faria, founding director of IEDE and co-creator of the QEdu platform, the logistical challenges of the Amazon make it more difficult to guarantee students' stay at school. "Periods of drought make transportation difficult, for example. Monitoring students is also very costly for the Education departments, and it is not always possible to guarantee inclusion in an appropriate manner. Furthermore, many students enter school late, already in a situation of age-grade distortion. Another important factor is the culture of school failure, which is still very present in Brazil", he explained. Student Alice Magalhães, 12 years old, knows this reality. Today she is in the sixth year of elementary school, but she should be in the seventh. When he lived in the interior of Amazonas, he spent a year without studying. “I missed the year because my mother thought the school was too far away and didn't want to enroll. So I didn't study for a year,” he said. Her classmate, Gabriela Tavares Magalhães, also faced difficulties attending school. She spent a period of time without studying because there was no one to take her to the teaching unit in Manaus. This year, the two took a placement test and were sent to the grade compatible with their learning. “The teachers gave us the test and I did everything correctly”, said Gabriela. When asked if she feels prepared to advance to the seventh year, the student responds with caution. "More or less. I think so, because here I do the activities properly. I think it will work out there too," he said. To reduce school dropouts and avoid new cases of lateness, riverside schools adapt their routine to the conditions of the region. Students enter earlier and finish classes before schools in urban areas, respecting the travel time across rivers. "We wake up earlier, they enter earlier and leave earlier. When schools in urban areas are still in fourth period, our students are already returning home", highlighted director Roberta Barros. Distance and drought make access to education difficult. Reproduction/Amazon Network