“STRUGGLE AND RESISTANCE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE”

The Reopening of the Municipal School “Rosalvo Silva dos Santos”, in the Salgado Grande Village, Rio Real/BA

Abstract

This article aims to understand how the collective struggle and resistance of the community of Salgado Grande, in Rio Real, Bahia, contributed to the reopening of the Municipal School “Rosalvo Silva dos Santos” and its importance for the strengthening and consolidation of education in the countryside of the region. Education is a fundamental right for all, and for the peoples of the countryside, this right takes on particular relevance given the challenges of access and school retention. The research was grounded in the theoretical contributions of Paulo Freire (2005), Roseli Caldart (2004; 2011), Miguel Arroyo (2007; 2010), and Stuart Hall (1997; 2003), who conceive education of the countryside as an emancipatory practice, linked to peasant culture and social rights. Methodologically, a descriptive qualitative approach was adopted, with data collection and participant observation carried out over four months in the first semester of 2024. The investigative process involved case selection, data collection and analysis, and subsequent interpretation of the results in the light of the theory of education of the countryside. The findings reveal the complexity of social struggles surrounding the right to education, highlighting that collective resistance and community mobilization were decisive in achieving school reopening. Thus, the resumption of school activities shows that maintaining schools in the countryside must be understood as a non-negotiable right, an essential condition for ensuring dignity, territorial permanence, and social justice for peasant communities.