A educação pública paranaense sob a lógica do mercado: as políticas gerencialistas empresariais no governo Ratinho Junior (2019-2022)

Abstract

The general objective of this research is to analyse the influences of the managerialist business model on the educational policies of the Paraná state government under the management of Ratinho Junior (PSD), from 2019 to 2022. To answer the general objective, three specific objectives were defined: a) To point out the neoliberal foundations in the managerialist business model and its interference in policies for Brazilian public education; b) To historically discuss public-private relations in Brazilian public education; and c) To analyse Paraná's educational policies, seeking to identify partnerships with companies, foundations, institutes and associations in the execution and concessions of educational programmes. The research is based on the historical and dialectical materialist method and on the categories of totality and contradiction. Exploratory, descriptive and documentary research was used as methodological

tools, by reading and interpreting laws, decrees, resolutions, terms of agreement, technical co- operation agreements, reports and newspaper articles. The Historical and Dialectical Materialist

method is based on Grespan (2021), Politzer (1957) and Marx and Engels (2011). For the categories, we used Cury (1986) and Netto (2011). Appel (1997, 2001, 2003), Anderson (1995), Saviani (2011, 2013) and Freitas (2028) provide the basis for understanding the discourse of the neoliberal state, while Peroni (2013, 2015), Frigotto (2010) and Gentili (1996) provide the basis for understanding neoliberalism in brazilian education. Shiroma (2018) provides the basis for the term managerialism and Freitas (2012, 2018) and Appel (1997, 2001, 2003) discuss the impacts of neoliberal conceptions and business reform on education. Finally, we turned to studies by Horn, Santarosa, Kestring and Rech (2022) on public education in Paraná to discuss current management policies and the consequences for schools' pedagogical autonomy, teachers' working conditions and students' education. The results of this research show that Paraná's public schools are succumbing to corporate and market-driven actions imposed by the Paraná state government to enforce the neoliberal project, breaking down the boundaries between public and private by bringing in businessmen to manage public education, determining its direction and accessing its financial resources. School management, pedagogical work and teachers are monitored and controlled, as are conceptions of education and content. The Ratinho Junior government's managerialist business model undermines the principles of democratic management and limits the education of students and the struggle for human emancipation.