O PRONERA COMO POLÍTICA DE EXPANSÃO DA EDUCAÇÃO SUPERIOR DO CAMPO: Trajetória, relação e desafios

Abstract

"This doctoral thesis aimed to examine the trajectory and relationship of the National Program for Education in Agrarian Reform (Pronera) as a policy for the expansion of higher education in rural areas. The research is associated with Research Line 1 - History, Policies, and Education from the Doctoral Course of the Graduate Program in Education at the Faculty of Education of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul/PPGEdu/UFMS. Established in 1998, Pronera is a public education policy for rural areas, implemented by the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) to democratize education access and strengthen agrarian reform zones across all dimensions. The program has catered to over 1000 municipalities, with over 100 educational institutions offering courses at various levels and modalities, ranging from literacy to vocational training, undergraduate, and postgraduate degrees, both lato sensu and stricto sensu. In its 25 years, Pronera has graduated over 191,234 students in 531 courses, promoting the education of critical, independent individuals actively engaged in the development of their territories. Rooted in dialectical-historical materialism and grounded in categories such as totality, historicity, mediation, labor, and contradiction, this research outlines Pronera's evolution and its interplay with higher education across different governments since 1998. The analysis draws from an array of documentary and statistical sources, including INCRA data, academic articles, INCRA management reports, and the II Pnera. The research indicates that despite significant challenges, Pronera stands as a testament to public policy for the expansion of higher education in rural settings. It has persevered through changing circumstances and adversities, remaining steadfast in its mission to broaden higher education in the countryside. Through this scrutiny, the thesis posits that Pronera plays a pivotal role in extending higher education to the rural populace, thereby fostering social justice and sustainable development." Keywords: keywords: Rural education, Higher education, Public policies, Agrarian issues, Social movements