Reprovação e evasão nos cursos de engenharias, e de exatas do campus de Campina Grande da UFCG.

Abstract

Academic failure is present in all Higher Education Institutions, showing itself through high dropout or disapproval. Open data on student performance from the Pro-Rectory of Education at the Federal University of Campina Grande – UFCG point to this problem, especially in students from the great area of Exact Sciences and Engineering. In this context, the general objective of this research was to analyze the academic failure of the Engineering and Exact Sciences courses at UFCG, Campina Grande campus, considering the dropout and failure data, since its creation, in 2002, until the year 2019. This analysis was also carried out considering the Average Annual Fail Rates (TMRA) and Average Annual Dropout Rates (TMEA), before and after the implementation of the Support Program for Federal Universities Restructuring and Expansion Plans - Reuni, and before and after the implementation of Law 12,711/2013 (Law of quotas) and the SiSU/2013 program, on the Campina Grande campus of UFCG. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney) to analyze statistical significance and validate hypotheses as differences between rates over the course historicals. First, data were analyzed as groups of courses; then, the behavior of these rates for each course separately, by time cuts, such as Reuni and the Quotas Law/SiSU; and, finally, which disciplines in the Exact Sciences and Engineering courses failed more and their respective periods. The results show an increase in the TMR or TME in around 50% of the courses analyzed (Mathematics, Meteorology, Computer Science, Physics, Petroleum Eng., Agricultural Eng., Mechanical Eng.). A decrease in any of these rates around 25% (Engineerings: Electrical, Civil, Mechanical, Agricultural and Food) and no change over time cuts around 25% of courses (Engineerings: Chemistry, Production, Mines and Statistics), although the latter has the highest rates in the group. As for the disciplines, the ones that fail the most are those that belong to the initial periods (up to the 4th period). A differentiated impact of affirmative and restructuring policies in Higher Education (Reuni, Quota Law and SiSU) can be seen in Engineering and Exact Science courses. It is not possible to consider that academic failure is homogeneous in these courses, as those with greater social legitimacy end up suffering less from the impacts of these policies in relation to failure and dropout. It is concluded that there is a need to foment pedagogical activities and student support for Engineering and Exact Sciences students, especially those courses with high dropout and failure rates, bearing in mind the importance of rethinking curricular practices to attend new specificities of Higher Education students and the continuing education of university professors.