Redução das matrículas no ensino fundamental: o caso da EEEF Onofre Pires em Porto Alegre – RS

Abstract

This paper analyzes the probable causes for the reduction of the number of students enrolled in a teaching unit located in the eastern zone of Porto Alegre - RS. It is based on the initial hypothesis that the fact would be associated, mainly, to the change of address of the mentioned school, due to the construction of a public company in the place, added to the unavailability of public transportation offer at the new facilities door. The study justifies the need to identify precisely the reasons that led to the worsening of this fact, used by the Management Body, as the justification for the prohibition of new enrollments in this education unit this year. Methodologically it consists of a research of mixed methods, that used questionnaires and interviews as tools of data collection. Fifty students and five teachers participated, in a universe of approximately four hundred people. It was evidenced that the majority of the students needs public transportation to move to the said school, since they live in neighboring districts. Other factors contributed to the reduction of enrollment and transfer of students, such as the very low use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), infrastructure problems for Physical Education classes and sports practices, as well as the location of the school, associated to problems in the way that gives access to it. Finally, the study identified a certain weakening in the performance of school management to act in the issues addressed by this study, largely due to the low participation of the school community in the teaching unit.