Programa nacional de acesso ao ensino técnico e emprego - PRONATEC: estudo de caso sobre o abandono escolar no curso de eletricista instalador predial de baixa tensão ofertado no IFPR

Abstract

This research investigates the school dropout phenomenon in both the preliminary and on-goingtraining courses of the National Program for Access to Technical Education and Employment, henceforth, PRONATEC (Portuguese acronym) with a particular focus on the low-voltage electrical contractors course, which was offered by the Federal Institute of Paraná, henceforth, IFPR – (Portuguese acronym) in Campo Largo – Brazil - from 2012 to 2014.The major objectives of this study are three-fold: (a) to carefully examine the main reasons for early school dropout, (b) to analyze PRONATEC staff’s perceptions on the phenomenon under investigation, and (c) to detail PRONATEC staff’s preventive measures towards curbing school dropout. Of a qualitative nature and founded on the analysis of a case study, this research has as its theoretical point of reference Dore and Lüscher’s (2011), Neri’s (2012), Pelissari’s (2012), Rumberger’s (2004, apud Dore and Lüscher’s, 2011), Soares’ (2010), Steimbach’s (2012) discussions on school dropout in basic and professional technical education. This study was carried out by means of data collection from both document analysis and bibliographical research. Also, a questionnaire administered in the years of 2012, 2013 and 2014 was replied by the non-graduate IFPR low-voltage electrical contractors students and a number of semi-structured interviews were conducted by the PRONATEC managers, teachers, and professors on Campo Largo campus. The research results consistently demonstrate that the reasons for early school dropout at IFPR encompasses both internal and external factors related to this institution – facts corroborated by the theoretical point of reference. Thus, factors such as new job opportunities, applied pedagogical processes and practices, learning difficulties, course schedule, social, personal, family and health problems have contributed substantially to the increasing IFPR student dropout rates. These perceptions have been ratified by both IFPR managers and teaching staff, as well as IFPR own students – an evidence that they have similar views on the subject. The diagnostic questionnaire and interviews were instrumental in preparing an educational action plan with a view to confronting the recurring problem of early school dropout by improving both the teachers’ and managers’ professional development, by reviewing the course syllabus, by providing the IFPR students’ children with a day care center, by monitoring the IFPR students’ performance and development during the program and by assessing the above mentioned measures on a regular basis. Finally, it has also been proposed that a specific PRONATEC management software and a data bank be developed to help keep track of the students’ academic life more effectively.