Gestão democrática e participação nas decisões: uma análise sobre o desempenho de Conselhos Escolares do IFRN

Abstract

The purpose of the IFRN Campi School Council is to collaborate towards the improvement of school management, implementing a democratic, transparent and participatory management. This dissertation deals with an incorporated case study, with a qualitative approach, which had the general objective to evaluate the performance of the School Councils of the Campi Currais Novos, Ipanguaçu and Natal-Zona Norte of the IFRN, based on an analytical model of performance of instances of participation. These Campi are part of the first expansion phase of the Feral Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education in Rio Grande do Norte, and the study tried to understand the dynamics of functioning of the most important collegiate of the IFRN Campi. The methodological framework was the model proposed by Rocha, Moreira and Bispo Júnior (2019), adapting the performance analysis variables to the reality of school councils, whose evaluation matrix consists of five dimensions: autonomy, organization, representativeness, community involvement and influence institutional policy. Data collection was carried out using a virtual questionnaire and conducting focus groups, in a remote format, with school counselors from the three campuses, and through document analysis. Data analysis was performed using the content analysis technique. As a result, none of the three School Boards showed an advanced level of performance. Of the analyzed dimensions, autonomy was the one that presented the best performance. The organizational dimension revealed weaknesses in the practice of temporary committees. Weaknesses were found in the relationship between representatives and represented segments. Community involvement was limited, due to the difficulties of participation by members of the civil society segments and graduates, and the low frequency of non-board members. In the dimension of institutional political influence, in general, there was insufficient participation in the process. It is concluded that it is necessary to consolidate the process of participation in the School Councils of the IFRN, through incentives for a participatory culture, the qualification of the councilors themselves and the strengthening of external segments.