Fatores determinantes na permanência dos alunos no Centro Estadual de Educação Continuada Prefeito José Romero Duque sob a perspectiva da gestão escolar

Abstract

This study is developed within the framework of the Professional Graduate Program in Management and Evaluation of Public Education (PPGP) at the Center for Public Policies and Education Evaluation of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (CAEd/UFJF). It aims to identify the main factors contributing to the non-completion of curricular components by approximately half of the students enrolled in them. The research addresses the following guiding question: What factors are determinant for student retention in the Youth and Adult Education (EJA) semi-presential/Distance Education (EaD) program offered by the State Center for Connected Education (CESEC) Prefeito José Romero Duque, in Mantena – MG? The diagnostic data refer to the period from 2017 to 2023, excluding the period of remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzes information such as the number of enrolled and graduating students per curricular component, revealing a high rate of noncompletion during this time frame. The research describes the educational trajectories of students enrolled at CESEC, identifies factors that hinder the continuity of studies, and analyzes how institutional management can intervene to increase student attendance and completion rates. The study is based on the hypothesis that, in addition to external factors such as work and family obligations, internal institutional issues discourage students, negatively impacting their return and academic performance, thereby extending the time required to complete their studies. A qualitative approach is adopted, based on the documentary analysis of primary data, in order to highlight the low completion and retention rates of students in each curricular component. In a second phase, semi-structured questionnaires and interviews are conducted with both regular and absent students, aiming to investigate the factors that influence student retention. Following data analysis, the study identifies potential strategies that school management can adopt in the formulation of an Educational Action Plan. The goal is to identify the challenges related to student retention and propose effective strategies to improve the management of semipresential and distance EJA programs.