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City Hall guarantees the right to education for the elderly with the Escolaridade program
Published on 21/10/2025 - 10:48 | Updated
In this first stage, 75 students will benefit - Disclosure Rio de Janeiro City Hall takes another step toward promoting the rights of older adults with the launch of the EscolarIdade program, a partnership between the Municipal Department of Education (SME) and the Municipal Department of Healthy Aging and Quality of Life (SEMESQV). The launch ceremony was held this Tuesday (October 21st) in Guaratiba, attended by Municipal Secretary of Education Renan Ferreirinha and Municipal Secretary of Healthy Aging and Quality of Life Felipe Michel, alongside enrolled students and teachers at the Dercy Gonçalves (Santa Cruz) and Lolita Rodrigues (Guaratiba) Community Centers.
The program offers literacy classes for older adults, reaffirming the right to education as a tool for autonomy, inclusion, and active aging. The initiative is in line with the Federal Constitution and the Senior Citizen Statute (Federal Law No. 10.741/2003), which guarantee access to education for all citizens, regardless of age. It is also aligned with the Healthy Aging Objective (OES 12 – Quality Education), established in Rio Decree No. 55.996/2025, which aims to reduce illiteracy among older adults and encourage lifelong learning.
In this first phase, 75 students will benefit from classes linked to Youth and Adult Education (EJA), a municipal program that has for four decades offered educational opportunities to those unable to complete basic education. Classes will be held inside the Community Houses, ensuring comfort, accessibility, and integration with the community environment.
Participants will receive a complete uniform and teaching materials, and classes will be divided into two shifts—morning and afternoon—to better accommodate students' routines.
For Felipe Michel, the initiative represents a milestone in the appreciation of the elderly.
Literacy promotes independence, self-esteem, and new possibilities. It's the first step toward ensuring our seniors continue to actively participate in society.
Renan Ferreirinha reinforced the program's transformative role.
Every Youth and Adult Education student carries a story of courage and new beginnings. The Escolaridade program was created precisely to value these journeys and expand access to education, bringing schools to our students' reach. EJA is one of the most beautiful expressions of what we believe in the network: schools as spaces of welcome and transformation. We want to ensure that no one is left behind, at any age.
The EscolarIdade program will be implemented gradually, with plans to expand to other Community Houses in different areas of the city. The goal is to strengthen social bonds, expand access to education, and ensure a more dignified, participatory, and active aging process.
Service
EscolarIdade Program – Literacy for the Elderly Partnership: Municipal Department of Education (SME) and Municipal Department of Healthy Aging and Quality of Life (SEMESQV)
Locations:
– Dercy Gonçalves Community House – Hermínio Aurélio Sampaio Avenue, 105 – Santa Cruz
– Lolita Rodrigues Community House – Estrada do Magarça, 3325 – Guaratiba
Audience: Seniors aged 50 and over - Free | Registration open
Information: Canal RioCuidadoso – (21) 97533-8831 | Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 17pm
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