Digital Inclusion in the Global South: the Challenges of Education in Brazil

Although ICTs and more recently AI bring great benefits to education, such as the possibility of personalization, in developing regions the challenges lie in the digital divide. Countries in the global south face difficulties in providing ICT infrastructure compatible with technological advances and, specifically in the educational context, digital exclusion is a major obstacle. This study sought to verify whether the technological structure (access to computers and internet) in the home environment influences the proficiency of students completing high school in Brazil. A database of 32 million students was analyzed, of which 1.5 million were low-income students. Analysis shows that having a computer and internet at home has a significant impact on student performance, which influences their chances of entering higher education and, consequently, building a career. Sociodemographic variables such as gender, mother's education, income and race were found to be significant. Results reveal serious structural challenges in Brazilian education.