SUMMARY

This article aims to understand the phenomenon of school dropout and truancy in basic education and its main consequences. The research aimed to answer the following questions: What are the main reasons that lead students to drop out and evade basic education? What are the consequences of dropping out or evading basic education? The work was carried out through bibliographic research, based on authors such as Arroyo (2010), Ávila (2015), Branco (2020), Moura (2020), among others. It was found that the main causes of school dropout and truancy are teenage pregnancy, alcohol and other substance use, premature entry into the labor market, and social inequality. It was noted that the problem of school dropout and truancy is not linear, but rather a cycle where most of the causes are also consequences. Addressing this problem requires more effective public policies, political commitment, and social organization.