'It wasn't luck': teacher analyzed Enem's history and pointed out the essay's topic for students in Alagoas

The universalization of quality healthcare was the theme highlighted by professor Camila Alves from Alagoas as a possibility for writing the National High School Exam (Enem) 2026.

The educator identified the subject after analyzing the history of subjects covered by the exam and realized that the issue had not yet been directly addressed since the first edition of the National Exam, in 1998. The bet was confirmed on Sunday (8), when the topic was chosen for the test.

At 34 years old, Camila explains that preparation begins months before the exam. Throughout the year, she distributes books to students with suggested topics, supporting texts and guidance on the structure of the essay. The material that included universal healthcare was delivered to students in August.

The choice took into account the history of the race and events that put public health in the spotlight, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, when the Unified Health System (SUS) played a fundamental role in facing the health crisis and in the population's vaccination coverage.

The teacher explains that her teaching method is based on three pillars: mastery of textual structure, discussion of themes and sociocultural repertoires and analysis of essays that achieved the maximum grade.

"Getting the topic right, for me, has never been a matter of luck! It's always a lot of work! Every year, I study and analyze social, economic, cultural and political phenomena to be able to bring the topic and, whenever I can, the supporting texts exclusively to our students. I understand that leading students to a perfect score and approval through writing is, in fact, a large part of my purpose," he explains.

Camila emphasizes that the choice of the topic had no relation to the political debate or the electoral period. According to her, preparation requires research, analysis of previous editions and monitoring of issues relevant to society.

Working on the themes and supporting texts in advance, according to the educator, also helps to reduce the surprise effect at test time. Thus, students arrive more familiar with the subjects and are able to better organize their arguments.

When talking about the importance of the exam, Camila highlights the role of Enem in expanding access to higher education, especially in a country marked by social and educational inequalities.

"The Enem is fundamental, especially in a country as unequal as ours, where there are still few opportunities to access quality education. The exam is one of the main gateways to higher education and represents the possibility of guaranteeing this access as a right for everyone", he states.

Trajectory in education

Graduated from the Federal University of Alagoas (Ufal), Camila owns a course in Maceió and has been teaching since she was 17 years old. She began her career in a project at the Ovídio Edgar State School and also worked on different preparatory courses in the capital.

The teacher also participates in free classes aimed at public school students. The choice to teach came during high school, inspired by a Portuguese language teacher, Ilka Cedrim, who sparked her interest in the language and in the degree. Camila is the first person in her family to pursue a teaching career.