Access of indigenous peoples to formal education: science education: a challenge, a reality

Abstract Faced with the refuted hypothesis of the reduction and the extinction of indigenous peoples in Brazil, new perspectives and demands have emerged. This research aimed to investigate the access of indigenous peoples to formal education, especially in relation to science education in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The indigenous schools of the Kaingáng and the Guarani ethnic groups were contextualized from the perspective of spatialization considering the Mesoregions, the municipalities, and the respective Regional Education Coordinators. The aspects investigated include number of enrollments (from 2011 to 2015), number of science teachers and their respective ethnicities, and the contribution of the school libraries. Thus, it is understood that there is a great reflection and consequent application of financial resources, aiming at the inclusion of indigenous peoples. However, demands have been identified, such as the adoption of principles of interculturality and bilingualism, the lack of adequate libraries and collections, the lack of science teachers, and the lack of indigenous teachers.