University Quotas: Perspectives of students preparing for university entrance examination. / Cotas universitárias: perspectivas de estudantes em situação de vestibular

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

This study focuses on the issue of university quotas as public policy of affirmative action in higher education. Considering that this is a recent legislation and includes complex human themes, issues such as: ethnic, racial and social issues that affect the Brazilian identity reference, and because there are already several institutions offering quotas, it is necessary to monitor the impact of that type of measure on the various segments of society, especially among the people directly concerned, that is, the young people seeking entrance to university. This study aims to investigate the opinion of a group of preparation course students about it. The study was conducted in two stages. At first, 107 students registered in preparation courses, were divided into two groups: a group of community courses (group A, n = 53) and another, consisting of private courses (group B, n = 54). All of them answered a questionnaire containing questions that focused on the university quotas and other issues related to the object of study, such as: university entrance examination, access to higher education, racial and ethnic issues and the role of the Federal Government in the process of implementing affirmative action. In the second stage, three students from each group were interviewed individually. The data gathered from the questionnaire were analyzed quantitatively by means of descriptive statistics and application of Chi-Square Test. The qualitative analysis is underpinned by the Social-Cognitive approach of career development, with contributions from the Social Representation approach. The results showed that 54,7% of the students from Group A agreed with the quotas, while 81.5% from Group B disagreed. Group B seemed to be better informed, as 83.3% knew about the existence of at least 14 institutions of higher education offering quota programs, against 67.9% from group A. About the federal bill that establishes social and ethnic quotas in public universities, the percentage of group A who agrees with the implementation of the measure is significantly higher than that of group B (64.2% versus 14.8%). About the ethnic-racial issue, most of the participants agree that there is a racial bias against the black in Brazil (94.3% from A and 96.3% from B) and that whites and blacks are treated in different ways (83% of A and 87% of group B), slavery is considered to be the main cause of black poverty (71.7% from A and 88.9% from B). Other differences and similarities between the views of the two groups are analyzed and discussed.

ASSUNTO(S)

uotas university ensino superior. higher education. pre-vestibular courses curso pré-vestibular cotas universitárias

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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