MEC threatens distance learning courses; colleges pressure government

The Ministry of Education (MEC) adopted several measures in an attempt to reduce the growth of distance learning degrees this year. Minister Camilo Santana opened public consultations to listen to the sector, but has decided in the opposite direction to what representatives of private universities want. Santana announced the suspension of 17 distance learning courses and, recently, announced that all undergraduate courses can no longer be completed remotely. Although entities representing private institutions agree that there must be improvements, they demand that the MEC take initiatives that evaluate the quality of courses and measures that only affect low-income institutions. The creation of a regulatory agency is considered a solution by both sides, but it is still necessary to discuss how the agency will act.

During the release of the Higher Education Census, the minister stated that the distance learning scenario is “alarming and challenging”. “The role of the MEC is this: to coordinate and regulate this [crescimento dos cursos EaD]. So it requires a red light so that we can take action”, highlighted Santana.

In the last eight years, there has been an 87% increase in distance learning courses, according to data from the 2022 Higher Education Census. A tremendous growth that has made it difficult for the MEC to monitor and that, according to Santana, the ministry is unable to carry out. . The Ministry of Education confirmed that it is considering the creation of a regulatory agency to oversee universities.

“When was the last time the MEC visited a center to evaluate it? Talking about quality without evaluation is throwing assumptions to the wind”, says Elizabeth Guedes, president of the National Association of Private Universities (Anup). For her, there are many bad distance learning courses that should be deaccredited, but there are also institutions that offer quality education. Therefore, Guedes believes that the MEC must assess quality before taking any initiative.

With the suspension of distance learning courses, institutions with or without quality are treated in the same way. “The MEC is treating this superficially and unfairly. Because it cites distance learning as if it were a disservice to Brazil, when many students and many schools have used this modality to progress in their studies”, adds Guedes.

The Brazilian Association of Higher Education Supporters (ABMES) believes that undergraduate courses are of great importance for access for young people and adults who live outside large centers. In addition to professionals who are in the job market and have limitations in promoting academic training.

Higher education regulatory agency is considered by the MEC

“In the case of distance learning, we need to calibrate the practical dimension of training, improve the quality of teaching work conditions; improve student assessment processes; subject the system to more constant external evaluations”, points out Rodorval Ramalho. The sociologist and professor at the Federal University of Sergipe also states that “Brazil urgently needs university reform. Our system is dysfunctional and expensive.”

The MEC confirmed that Camilo Santana wants to create an agency to inspect universities, with autonomy to apply fines and even decertify courses. To install the autarchy, the MEC will need approval from the National Congress. According to the organization, the government should try to take advantage of a bill presented in 2012 by the government of former president Dilma Rousseff (PT).

The creation of a regulatory agency is in line with what is requested by university representatives. Despite this, Elizabeth Guedes states that the text of the bill that the MEC wants to reuse is outdated. “The text deals with Brazil 12 years ago. We need a modern regulatory agency. That takes into account all advances in technology, artificial intelligence. Why not start looking forward?” she asks.

The expansion of distance learning in recent years

Until 2017, to open a distance education center, a visit from the MEC was required as part of the authorization process. Due to the high demand, the agency was unable to carry out all visits.

In this context, an ordinance was published that facilitates the implementation of centers to offer distance learning. According to the document, the number of centers opened per year would be defined according to the rating of the institution that would like to open it. Annually, institutions with a rating of 3 can open 50 centers, those with a rating of 4 are entitled to 150, and those with a rating of 5 are authorized for 250.

The 2017 resolution remains in force. With the Covid-19 pandemic, in which remote services were even more in demand, growth became uncontrollable. From 2020 to 2022, there was an increase of 1.2 million in enrollments in distance learning undergraduate courses. In the face-to-face modality, a drop of 460 thousand enrollments was recorded.

According to data from the 2022 Higher Education Census, the number of teachers in private institutions (151,425) is smaller than the number of teachers in public schools (173,373), with private institutions representing 89% of graduates. The number of teacher per student is much higher in the distance learning modality. Public universities have 12 professors per student, in general. But the number reaches 174 teachers per student in distance learning courses at private institutions.

For private companies, it is necessary to evaluate quality and discredit bad institutions

“The MEC is in a very comfortable position, throwing stones at distance learning courses and not doing its job”, says Elizabeth Guedes. For the president of Anup, the body should revoke the 2017 ordinance and prevent the creation of new centers, instead of suspending courses in the modality. “Stop growth now, stop the automatic opening of centers, evaluate, place under supervision, decertify everyone who has a grade 1 and 2”, she suggests.

According to her, today there is no evaluation instrument, nor visits to distance learning centers. “The first step should be a broad assessment of everything that is happening, from all poles. Let’s see which centers are offering quality courses and those that are not will be closed”, reinforces Guedes.

ABMES has a similar position to Anup and demands that the MEC promote “improving the conditions for offering these courses, with modernization of the evaluation, regulation and supervision of this modality”.

“This air of scandal with EaD seems to forget that there are similar problems in the face-to-face system”, says Rodorval Ramalho. He believes that higher education as a whole is precarious. “We cannot use the EaD quality standard to avoid the discussion about our in-person university system, which appears in a shameful situation in international rankings”, he adds.