Crítica do financiamento do ensino superior público brasileiro: uma análise da política de assistência estudantil no período de 2010-2022

Abstract

This thesis investigated aspects of the funding policy for Student Assistance in public higher education, with a particular focus on the Student Assistance Programme (PNAES) at the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU). The overarching objective of the PNAES is to enhance the conditions under which students experiencing socio-economic vulnerability can persist in public higher education. The most recent survey by the National Association of Heads of Federal Higher Education Institutions (ANDIFES) on the profile of students at federal universities in 2018 revealed that more than 48.3 per cent of the student body were quota students, and 70.2 per cent of students came from families with a monthly income of up to one and a half minimum wages. The objective of this scientific research was to provide an answer to a number of questions, including but not limited to: what are the implications, limits and possibilities of implementing the Student Assistance funding policy at UFU during the period between 2010 and 2022? The present study is founded upon the principles of dialectical-critical theory, in interaction with a selection of Gramsci's categories, including 'small and big politics'. This methodological approach facilitates the identification and analysis of disputes concerning political agendas, in addition to the correlation of force and power with broader projects of social and political emancipation. The present study employs a case study research method, enabling triangulation with other complementary methodological perspectives, such as qualitative analysis and bibliographical research. The research tools employed included the following: I) documentary sources: legislation pertaining to the subject in question (Ministry of Education [MEC] Normative Ordinance No. 39/2007, Federal Decree No. 7,234/2010; MEC Ordinance No. 748/2021, etc.); II) oral sources: semi-structured interviews with UFU Administrative Managers and a student representative from the Central Student Directory (DCE)/UFU. The issue at hand extends beyond the historical underfunding of public budgetary and financial resources allocated to student assistance in Federal Higher Education Institutions (IFES). UFU grapples with a combination of structural, cultural and administrative impediments that go beyond the mere execution of the budget for the effective implementation of the PNAES. These include: a) inadequate monitoring and control of indicators of both dropout and retention, which utilize the 'Equivalent Student' parameter as the primary criterion for the distribution of public funds; b) the absence of a culture of planning within the organization, characterized by reactive, discontinuous and disruptive actions; c) inadequate conceptual interpretations and perceptions in the utilization of public funds from unpaid commitments; and d) communication and reception problems between those assisted and the administration. These findings indicate a necessity for the enhancement of strategic democratic management mechanisms in conjunction with planning and governance processes, with the objective of achieving enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in the utilization of public resources.