Secondary education: Project foresees fewer basic subjects than MEC – 12/11/2023 – Education

Representative Mendonça Filho (União-PE) finalized this Sunday (10) the report on the bill to change the curricular structure of the new secondary education. In the text, there is a forecast of expanding the workload of the common part, the so-called Basic General Training, but which is below the proposal presented by the Lula government (PT).

The new report predicts that, out of a total workload of 3,000 hours over the three years of the stage, 2,100 hours will be allocated to the common part. This represents an increase in relation to the current provision, which stipulates 1,800 hours for traditional subjects (such as Portuguese and mathematics) — the remainder is for the so-called training itineraries, areas of in-depth study created in the reform of the Michel Temer (MDB) government and the target of controversy since its implementation in 2022.

On the other hand, Mendonça’s text foresees fewer common hours than the MEC (Ministry of Education) plan, which advocates 2,400 hours. It also retreats on other points: the report no longer mentions mandatory subjects, as the Lula government’s text does, and brings a different reorganization of the itineraries.

The deputy’s text is a substitute for the one sent by the government to Congress to change the secondary education reform, carried out in 2017, during the Temer government, when Mendonça Filho himself was Minister of Education.

His appointment as rapporteur caused wear and tear by hindering deeper changes. In the government’s understanding, Mendonça would seek to preserve as much as possible the model stipulated in his administration.

In the bill’s report, the deputy states that “the structuring axes of the reform of the new secondary education need to be maintained”. Mendonça states that there are implementation challenges and questions about the current model, but argues that the failures are due to problems in the coordination of the MEC during the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government and difficulties in the pandemic.

With the reform of secondary education, an attempt was made to make the curriculum more flexible. Thus, it was stipulated that all students had access to a curriculum part equal to everyone else, linked to the National Common Curricular Base. Another part was destined for deepening lines, which are called training itineraries.

The MEC project came as a response to the mobilization of students, teachers and some experts due to problems in implementing the model. Students complain about having lost class time in traditional subjects and there are cases of content disconnected from the curriculum, such as RPG and Brigadeiro Gourmet, in addition to a lack of itinerary options for students.

In the opinion of critics, this model of reform itineraries is unfeasible due to the infrastructure of schools and public networks. This includes cities with only one high school, lack of teachers and also lack of adequate training for the model.

Mendonça’s proposal did not please the government. In a note, the MEC criticized it.

“Brazil has an opportunity to pacify the issue of secondary education. Having 2,400 hours for FGB [Formação Geral Básica] It is a legitimate demand from teachers and students and reducing and balancing itineraries is essential to guarantee equity of supply”, says the note.

“Itineraries proved to be an idealization, if not accompanied by structural actions. The MEC is opposed to curricular designs with the potential to fragment and expand inequalities in the last stage of basic education”, completes the text.

The Minister of Education, Camilo Santana, has insisted that his proposal came as a result of a public consultation with students and dialogues between various actors in the educational sector, such as Consed (the body that represents the states’ Education Secretaries).

The body never agreed to the 2,400 hours for basic training, but the president of Consed, Vitor de Angelo, participated in an event with President Lula when Camilo presented the government’s project. Consed started to support Mendonça Filho’s proposal.

In a note, Consed highlighted that it gave the deputy a proposal that it has always defended (based on 2,100 hours). “Regarding the ceremony, Consed participated at the invitation of the MEC, as there was an invitation for all entities that participated in the consultation to be present at that moment.”

The report removes the mandatory teaching of the Spanish language, defended by the MEC text, and places the offer at the discretion of the education networks.

What changes in the itineraries, according to the report

Regarding the itineraries, the replacement provides for a workload of 900 hours, over the three years, and maintains the four options that are in force today, in addition to the possibility of vocational technical education: languages ​​and their technologies, mathematics and their technologies, computer science nature and its technologies and applied human and social sciences.

The MEC’s ​​proposal included mixed itineraries between these areas, with the obligation to offer at least two in schools. The new report foresees that all areas will be offered, organized into at least two itineraries with different emphasis, such as, for example: languages ​​and social sciences, together.

The deputy’s report also opens up the possibility that 300 hours of the 2,100 hours linked to the common base will be dedicated to deepening content related to the professional technical training offered. This would occur to include the provision of 1,200-hour technical training courses, integrated into regular secondary education.

In the MEC text, there was flexibility so that, instead of 2,400 hours for the common part, 2,100 hours were offered if the student was able to take technical education. The provision of this type of training is limited by state education networks, which concentrate secondary education enrollments in the country.

This possibility had been criticized for predicting two common load parameters. The MEC, in the same note, defended the proposal. “Different workloads in the case of offering technical training are possible, including providing for a long transition period. This does not necessarily need to represent a reduction in the FGB of 2,400 hours.”

---

SHUTTLE IN HIGH SCHOOL

What is the New High School like?

• The 2017 reform increased the workload for this stage from 800 hours to 1,000 hours per year, totaling 3,000 hours over the three years.
• Of the 3,000 hours of the course, 1,800 (60%) are reserved for a schedule common to all, with traditional subjects, such as mathematics and Portuguese
• The other 1,200 hours (40%) are dedicated to subjects from the so-called training itineraries, which are specific curriculum options that each student should choose

What is the proposed change to the MEC?

• Resume 2,400 hours for regular subjects
• Allocate 600 hours to training itineraries

What is Mendonça and the education secretaries’ proposal?

• It defines that the workload for common subjects will have a minimum of 2,100 hours — with 300 hours being flexible, that is, states can define whether they will use them as part of common training or training itineraries
• Allocate the other 900 hours to training routes