Research on the advancement of the private sector in the offer of medium-level technical professional education in the state of Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

This article explores the history of high school in Brazil and specifically the structural duality between manual and intellectual work and the separation or integration of professional education with high school, a situation that worsens or eases according to legislative changes in Brazil. Adopting the understanding that the offer of technical vocational high school that promotes comprehensive student education depends on concatenated and universal public policies, we researched the State's participation in the provision of professional education in Rio Grande do Sul, through documentary analysis of opinions issued by CEED-RS - State Council of Education of Rio Grande do Sul, for authorization to operate professional technical courses, between 2000 and 2018. The analysis focuses on the offer by the State and private institutions, since federal institutions do not require authorization from the State Education Council and municipalities, whose assignment is the provision of early childhood education and elementary education, generally do not act in technical vocational education middle level. We note that throughout the period verified there is a preponderance of operating authorizations of medium-level technical courses in private institutions. The lack of investment in public education favors the advancement of the private sector, with the risk, with the new high school legislation, that the already fragile public education will suffer interference from the private sector, which in recent years has acted to control policies educational institutions in Brazil.