TCU audit finds weaknesses in the New High School project

The Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) found several weaknesses in the New High School project, such as delay in implementing the proposal and lack of focus on the results of actions, in addition to the possibility of budget reduction.

The result is part of an audit whose conclusion was disclosed on Wednesday (23) by the court. In the judgment signed by the rapporteur Walton Alencar Rodrigues, there is a delay in the implementation of the New Secondary School with a high risk of compromising the execution or discontinuing the program, caused by technical and operational deficiencies of the Ministry of Education (MEC).

Fragilities were also identified in the governance mechanisms for project implementation, such as the lack of technical and administrative capacity of the MEC.

The TCU also pointed out a lack of focus on the results of actions in the strategic management of the implementation of the New High School. According to the report, there is also the possibility of reducing budget appropriations, which threatens the continuity of actions to put the proposal into effect.

In addition, flaws were found in the monitoring and evaluation of project implementation, with low transparency and risk of widening educational inequalities.

The TCU ordered the Ministry of Education to implement, within 180 days, a computerized solution for monitoring and evaluating the New Secondary School. The MEC should expand public access to the data processed in this solution, with respect to transparency, and will have to have, among others, the functionality of gathering information in the state and Federal District secretariats.

The MEC must also set up and operate, at the federal level, within 60 days, the Committee for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Support Program for New Secondary Education (ProNEM). The purpose is to monitor the project’s implementation actions, discuss and propose adjustments to ProNEM, according to the reality of each federated unit, and establish a federative dialogue with the DF and the States.

The proposal establishing the New Secondary School has been the target of criticism from state secretaries of education and the National Council of Education. A letter detailing the points of disagreement was delivered to the MEC this week asking, among other demands, that the changes be implemented only in 2025 to allow a viable transition.

The group also points out that any changes in this stage of basic education must be accompanied by revisions in teaching materials, state norms, curricula, teacher training, assessments and other elements.

Among the suggestions made is the request to guarantee at least 2,100 hours of the 3,000 hours for basic disciplines. The remaining 900 hours would be divided into 300 hours for the Common Base of Training Itineraries and the rest between the Novo Enem (National High School Examination) and Professional and Technical Education.

Regarding distance learning (EAD), the councils argue that the flexible offer of Secondary Education is essential for implementing the reform in the evening period and for dealing with the territorial particularities of each region. They point to factors such as a shortage of teachers to synchronize schedules, logistical challenges of school transportation and infrastructure limitations at schools.