Inclusão do direito constitucional na matriz curricular do ensino médio : um estudo de caso sobre o conhecimento acerca do Estado Democrático de Direito nas turmas do ensino médio da cidade de Campo do Brito/Sergipe

Abstract

Considering that the current high school curriculum does not explicitly include the teaching of constitutional concepts, this study investigates the impact of this absence on the knowledge and political engagement of students in the city of Campo do Brito, Sergipe. The research adopts a critical approach to the importance of constitutional education among youth, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods, including bibliographic review, legislative analysis, and the application of questionnaires to students in the local public school system. The data reveal low levels of understanding regarding the structure of the State, fundamental rights, and mechanisms of participation established in the 1988 Constitution. Concepts such as the Three Branches of Government and forms of popular sovereignty are largely unknown to the students. This structural deficiency stems from curricular gaps which, despite the Constitution’s provision that education should prepare students for the exercise of citizenship, do not include content focused on constitutional education. It is concluded that the inclusion of these concepts in high school is essential not only for the development of conscious citizens but also for strengthening their sense of belonging. In this context, the school must serve as a space for political and civic formation, and the absence of such knowledge represents a barrier to full citizenship, reinforcing the need to revise the current curriculum.