The Implementation and Consolidation of the Preparatory Course for Vestibular and ENEM - Experience and Citizenship the Students of the UNIFAL-MG in Poços de Caldas, Brazil

Abstract

The low-income and state school students’ access to state university in Brazil has awakened concerns of government and scholars. The inequality in the access of social classes to universities is a result of many factors, such as the early withdrawal in the school years and teenagers behind the grade for their age bracket. In this context, creating mechanisms, like preparatory courses for college admittance enhancing low-income people, is a good approach to support the state school students’ development in the admission exam. These instruments can decrease the inequality and value merit aspects as well as non-supporting assistance to have access to undergraduate programs. This extension project aims to describe the process and experience of the preparatory course for university exam (ENEM) establishment to attend the high school students from state education from Poços de Caldas - MG, BR. This work has provided for their competitiveness in this exam, as well as in others. In addition to that, the project has also allowed the interaction between the UNIFAL-MG College and high school students within the city. The preparatory course started in September 2011 in the Dr. José Vargas de Souza Municipal School with around 40 students. Therefore, this project has been implemented in phases, aiming at a continuous maturity process and at the inclusion of student-teachers and integration with the local community.