A permanência e a conclusão no ensino superior: O que dizem os Índios da Universidade Estadual do Centro Oeste do Paraná (UNICENTRO) – Brasil

Abstract

This article aims to understand the perspective of indigenous students, about staying and completing their studies at Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste do Paraná [UNICENTRO] - Brazil, considering the experience of the Special Entrance Examination for Indigenous Peoples in this state. This is a qualitative research, accomplished from 2002 to 2010, in order to listen to the Indians voices (and silence), and their difficulties to complete higher education. The results showed that, this process regarded as an “inclusion of Indians at the university” –a secular and privileged space– is restricted to access. That is, the psychosocial effect generated by the false idea that a supplemental program of vacancies is distorting, as it creates a false notion that society is becoming more equal and just, when in fact what happens, is an increase in the degree of resignation and acceptance towards diversity and subtle forms of injustice and exploitation. The results refer to strategies for entering higher education of discriminated social and ethnic-racial segments are a way to minimize the exclusion process that Brazil has faced since the discovery. However, it is assumed that such affirmative actions must be complemented with educational actions that strengthen access to knowledge. The perspective of Affirmative Actions in higher education should not only increase the access of blacks, indigenous people and public school graduates, but also, their permanence and integration. In addition, the results remind about the Indian, to enter /to stay /to complete a university. That has as central characteristics to be monolingual, hierarchical, Eurocentric or North American-centric; it is not a simple process, because the contradictions exist among the intercultural intentions of a logic marked by exclusion, competition and selection, and the perspective of a public and democratic university, which has not yet become intercultural. However, the specific Entrance Examination allowed reflections on what changes are possible, with the insertion and promotion of new processes and protagonism of students and indigenous leaderships.

Reports on the Permanence of Indigenous Students in the Post-Gratuation Programs at the Federal University of Amazonas

“…The fact that most of these students feel out of place, guilty, or uncapable to be in a PPG at the UFAM shows us that the analysis of Martín-Baró (2011, 2017, on the fatalistic character of the Latin American people are still valid at present: the oppressive social context leads to these subjectivities that are marked by humiliation and subjugation. In this sense, we corroborate Angnes et al (2017) in the belief that the disregarding of indigenous cultures and their collectiveness are neglected at the universities, causing negative psychosocial effects in the lives of the students. This also characterizes an ethnicalpolitical suffering from the underappreciation of beings, of knowledge, and of the indigenous power (Viana & Maheirie, 2017).…”

“…The indigenous students talked openly about the difficulties they had to face in order to stay in higher education, especially with the lack of financial assistance, which was also something observed by Oliven and Bello (2017). We agree with Angnes et al (2017) that the difficulties the indigenous students go through are a source of suffering because of the lack of recognition of social structures, vulnerabilities, and the helplessness they have to face to come to the city and take their university course.…”

“…Committed to breaking away from the country's slave-trading heritage, affirmative action policies are efficient tools for confronting the different types of discrimination, inequality, and exclusion (Angnes, Freitas, Klozovski, Costa, & Rocha, 2017;Feres Jr. & Daflon, 2015;Godoy & Bairrão, 2016;Moura & Tamboril, 2018). In higher education, such policies materialize, for example, by means of quotas and bonuses that facilitate the entrance of historically excluded groups, recognizing identity differences by creating access and self-declaration requisites (Dal Bó, 2018).…”

“…By means of affirmative action and other claims, the indigenous peoples could enter university (Angnes et al, 2017). However, the process of entrance into higher education must take into consideration also what comes after: permanence and conclusion of the course.…”

“…The difficulties that indigenous students face in higher education, whether in graduation or postgraduation, are of social and cultural nature, and it is necessary to understand and investigate the psychosocial relation of the indigenous student not only with the university, but also with western culture (Angnes et al, 2017). According to criticism by Herbetta and Nazareno (2020), our university system is provided with a hierarchy and a structure that make it impossible for these peoples to thrive in their environments as they still suffer the after-effects of colonialism.…”