O presente estudo pretendeu investigar como o Ministério Público estava atuando judicial e extrajudicialmente para efetivar o direito à educação básica. Para tanto, foram selecionadas duas Promotorias de Justiça da Infância e Juventude, de cidades do interior de São Paulo: Rio Claro e Ribeirão Preto. Considerando que as alterações no financiamento da educação, com a Emenda Constitucional nº 14, de 1996, e a introdução do Fundef, provocaram impactos nos sistemas educacionais, com conseqüências para a garantia do direito à educação básica, a pesquisa abrangeu o período de 1997 a 2004. Nas referências teóricas de apoio, buscou-se verificar como o direito à educação estava formulado em nossa legislação e na literatura sobre o tema, e como o Ministério Público, de acordo com as suas atribuições legais, pode colaborar na garantia desse direito. Tendo em vista os objetivos da pesquisa, utilizou-se a abordagem qualitativa, recorrendo-se à análise documental dos procedimentos extrajudiciais, das ações judiciais e de outros documentos formulados pelas referidas Promotorias, visando ao cumprimento do direito à educação; fez-se uso, ainda, de entrevistas com os Promotores de Justiça da Infância e Juventude e com o Assistente Técnico de Ribeirão Preto. Este estudo, a partir da análise da atuação das duas Promotorias de Justiça investigadas, aponta as possibilidades de ações do Ministério Público. É o caso da cobrança junto ao poder público para o acesso da população à educação infantil, ao mesmo tempo em que mostra a importância da prática de diálogo e de trabalho em conjunto com a sociedade civil organizada. Indica, no entanto, alguns limites dessa instituição, como por exemplo, a dificuldade da exigibilidade de demandas relacionadas com a qualidade da educação, a atuação mais ativa vinculada ao perfil do Promotor de Justiça e a possível influência das condições efetivas de trabalho na atuação dos membros do Ministério Público, para que a educação seja efetivada com qualidade para todos. / The present study intended to investigate how the Public Prosecution Service was acting judicially and extrajudicially to accomplish the right to the basic education. For this, two Infancy and Youth Public prosecutor?s office of Justice from the municipalities of São Paulo had been selected: Rio Claro and Ribeirão Preto. Considering that the alterations in the education financing, with the Constitutional Emendation nº 14 from 1996 and the introduction of ?Fundef?, have provoked impacts in the educational systems, with consequences for the guarantee of the right to the basic education, the research enclosed the period from 1997 to 2004. It was verified in the theoretical references of support how the right to education was formulated in our legislation and literature about the subject and how the Public Prosecution Service can act to guarantee of this right in accordance with its legal attributions. The qualitative approach was used considering the objectives of the research, making use of the extrajudicial procedures documentary analysis, legal actions and other formulated documents by the referred Public prosecutor?s office of Justice, aiming the accomplishment of the right to education. Interviews with Prosecutors of Infancy and Youth and with the assistant appraiser from Ribeirão Preto were also used. This study, from the analysis of the performance of the two investigated Public prosecutor?s office of Justice, shows the possibilities of actions of the Public Prosecution Service. It?s the case of charging the public power for the population?s access to Early Childhood education the and, at the same time when it shows the importance of dialogue and of working as a team with the organized civil society. It shows, however, some limits of this institution, as for example, the difficulty to demand judicially the quality of education, the more active action linked to the prosecutor?s profile and the possible influence of the effective working conditions in the Public Prosecution Service members? performance, so that education may be accomplished with quality for everybody.

O presente estudo pretendeu investigar como o Ministério Público estava atuando judicial e extrajudicialmente para efetivar o direito à educação básica. Para tanto, foram selecionadas duas Promotorias de Justiça da Infância e Juventude, de cidades do interior de São Paulo: Rio Claro e Ribeirão Preto. Considerando que as alterações no financiamento da educação, com a Emenda Constitucional nº 14, de 1996, e a introdução do Fundef, provocaram impactos nos sistemas educacionais, com conseqüências para a garantia do direito à educação básica, a pesquisa abrangeu o período de 1997 a 2004. Nas referências teóricas de apoio, buscou-se verificar como o direito à educação estava formulado em nossa legislação e na literatura sobre o tema, e como o Ministério Público, de acordo com as suas atribuições legais, pode colaborar na garantia desse direito. Tendo em vista os objetivos da pesquisa, utilizou-se a abordagem qualitativa, recorrendo-se à análise documental dos procedimentos extrajudiciais, das ações judiciais e de outros documentos formulados pelas referidas Promotorias, visando ao cumprimento do direito à educação; fez-se uso, ainda, de entrevistas com os Promotores de Justiça da Infância e Juventude e com o Assistente Técnico de Ribeirão Preto. Este estudo, a partir da análise da atuação das duas Promotorias de Justiça investigadas, aponta as possibilidades de ações do Ministério Público. É o caso da cobrança junto ao poder público para o acesso da população à educação infantil, ao mesmo tempo em que mostra a importância da prática de diálogo e de trabalho em conjunto com a sociedade civil organizada. Indica, no entanto, alguns limites dessa instituição, como por exemplo, a dificuldade da exigibilidade de demandas relacionadas com a qualidade da educação, a atuação mais ativa vinculada ao perfil do Promotor de Justiça e a possível influência das condições efetivas de trabalho na atuação dos membros do Ministério Público, para que a educação seja efetivada com qualidade para todos. / The present study intended to investigate how the Public Prosecution Service was acting judicially and extrajudicially to accomplish the right to the basic education. For this, two Infancy and Youth Public prosecutor?s office of Justice from the municipalities of São Paulo had been selected: Rio Claro and Ribeirão Preto. Considering that the alterations in the education financing, with the Constitutional Emendation nº 14 from 1996 and the introduction of ?Fundef?, have provoked impacts in the educational systems, with consequences for the guarantee of the right to the basic education, the research enclosed the period from 1997 to 2004. It was verified in the theoretical references of support how the right to education was formulated in our legislation and literature about the subject and how the Public Prosecution Service can act to guarantee of this right in accordance with its legal attributions. The qualitative approach was used considering the objectives of the research, making use of the extrajudicial procedures documentary analysis, legal actions and other formulated documents by the referred Public prosecutor?s office of Justice, aiming the accomplishment of the right to education. Interviews with Prosecutors of Infancy and Youth and with the assistant appraiser from Ribeirão Preto were also used. This study, from the analysis of the performance of the two investigated Public prosecutor?s office of Justice, shows the possibilities of actions of the Public Prosecution Service. It?s the case of charging the public power for the population?s access to Early Childhood education the and, at the same time when it shows the importance of dialogue and of working as a team with the organized civil society. It shows, however, some limits of this institution, as for example, the difficulty to demand judicially the quality of education, the more active action linked to the prosecutor?s profile and the possible influence of the effective working conditions in the Public Prosecution Service members? performance, so that education may be accomplished with quality for everybody.

Education is since the inception of the world regarded as the formal process by which society conveys its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another. Today, education is a human right and the right to education and specifically the right to (a) basic education is acknowledged and emphasised worldwide. In South Africa, the right to a basic education is entrenched in the Constitution and is regarded as one of the most crucial constitutional rights, particularly because it promotes economical and social well-being. The protection of a child’s right to a basic education in terms of the South African Constitution together with the most important international instruments pertaining to education will be extensively discussed and the most important similarities and differences between, and challenges in the legal systems of South Africa, New Zealand and Namibia regarding a child’s right to (a) basic education will be addressed with due consideration of factors such as early childhood development and education, mother tongue education and HIV/AIDS which may affect a child’s right to (a) basic education. It is submitted that the success of any country, whether it is social, financial or economic success, depends on how its citizens are educated. Moreover, a good education system is crucial, not only for ensuring that its populace are well educated, but also for optimal human development and for the maintenance and preservation of socially responsive economic and political systems. Education is a life-long process and in order to give effect to the right to (a) basic education, the adoption and implementation of the recommendations made throughout this study are proposed. / Private Law / LL.D.

Education is since the inception of the world regarded as the formal process by which society conveys its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another. Today, education is a human right and the right to education and specifically the right to (a) basic education is acknowledged and emphasised worldwide. In South Africa, the right to a basic education is entrenched in the Constitution and is regarded as one of the most crucial constitutional rights, particularly because it promotes economical and social well-being. The protection of a child’s right to a basic education in terms of the South African Constitution together with the most important international instruments pertaining to education will be extensively discussed and the most important similarities and differences between, and challenges in the legal systems of South Africa, New Zealand and Namibia regarding a child’s right to (a) basic education will be addressed with due consideration of factors such as early childhood development and education, mother tongue education and HIV/AIDS which may affect a child’s right to (a) basic education. It is submitted that the success of any country, whether it is social, financial or economic success, depends on how its citizens are educated. Moreover, a good education system is crucial, not only for ensuring that its populace are well educated, but also for optimal human development and for the maintenance and preservation of socially responsive economic and political systems. Education is a life-long process and in order to give effect to the right to (a) basic education, the adoption and implementation of the recommendations made throughout this study are proposed. / Private Law / LL. D.