A influência do programa nacional de assistência estudantil (PNAES) na permanência e êxito dos estudantes do ensino superior do IFRS-Campus Bento Gonçalves

Abstract

Historically, Brazilian higher education has faced significant challenges related to access and student retention. Inclusive policies have progressively transformed the country's higher education landscape, diversifying the student profile. In this context, the National Student Assistance Program (PNAES) represents a milestone by seeking to democratize student retention, reduce inequalities, and promote social inclusion. At the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS), the Student Assistance Policy includes a financial support program aimed at assisting students in situations of socioeconomic vulnerability. Recent research indicates that student assistance policies have had a measurable impact on persistence and completion rates in Brazilian higher education. However, few studies have longitudinally examined the impact of PNAES on persistence and academic success through indicators such as personal characteristics and academic performance within the Federal Institutes of Education, Science, and Technology (IFs). Accordingly, this study aimed to verify the influence of PNAES on the persistence and success of students at IFRS-Bento Gonçalves Campus, analyzing how student assistance policies have contributed to reducing inequalities, promoting retention, and mitigating dropout in federal public higher education. This quantitative research followed the academic trajectories of more than three thousand students between 2014 and 2024, considering socioeconomic, demographic, and academic variables, as well as the receipt of student aid. The results revealed that the profiles most associated with dropout were students who entered higher education after the age of 26, male, self-declared Black or Brown, belonging to families with a per capita income of up to half the minimum wage, enrolled in programs such as the Physics Teaching Degree, Horticulture Technology, and Food Technology, with attendance below 40% and a grade point average below 4,0. The study also confirmed that students receiving financial assistance were 55% more likely to remain enrolled and complete their programs compared to those who did not receive such support. Based on these findings, this study proposes a student monitoring panel grounded in quantitative risk indicators as an institutional strategy to prevent dropout and promote student retention and academic success. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]