Decision validated Pernambuco’s federal notice and reestablished selection linked to agrarian reform
The Federal Court accepted the argument of the AGU (General Attorney’s Office) and released the notice to open an extra class of the medical course at UFPE (Federal University of Pernambuco). The special class, which will select 80 students, is aimed at beneficiaries of Pronera (National Program for Education in Agrarian Reform), on the Caruaru (PE) campus.
A popular action questioned the validity of the resolution of the UFPE University Council and the legality of the notice. The authors alleged that UFPE had exceeded its autonomy by “innovate in the legal order” and that the selection method would generate discriminatory and derogatory treatment. The lower court accepted the requests, granting the injunction and suspending the selection.
In addition to the AGU, the MPF (Federal Public Ministry) had asked the Federal Court to reconsider the preliminary decision that suspended the opening of the extra class of the course.
AGU then appealed, arguing that the initiative is the result of a partnership between UFPE and Incra (National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform) – which is the executor of Pronera – and aims to train doctors with a vocation for working in the field.
The body also said that it is urgent to reverse the decision, as the competition schedule is already at an advanced stage. Registration approval will be on October 8th and the tests will be administered on October 12th.
“The notice and resolution are, therefore, materializations of a partnership based on law and an educational affirmative action aimed at a historically marginalized group (rural population benefiting from agrarian reform)”declared the AGU.
According to the rules of the notice, the following are eligible to participate in the selection:
- agrarian reform settlers and members of families benefiting from Land Credit;
- students graduating from specialization courses promoted by Incra;
- educators who carry out activities aimed at beneficiary families;
- campers registered by the institute;
- quilombolas.
The AGU said that, by training doctors with ties to the field and destined to work in needy regions, the initiative simultaneously implements the right to quality education and also the right to health, “ensuring access to basic services for historically neglected populations”.
Prone
Established 27 years ago, Pronera is a public educational inclusion policy in Brazil and supports educational projects aimed at developing areas of agrarian reform at different levels, from literacy and schooling in primary and secondary education to integrated professional training, undergraduate and postgraduate studies for members of agrarian reform.
To date, 545 courses have been taught to more than 192 thousand students in all Brazilian states. The courses offered include law, psychology, journalism, agricultural engineering, veterinary medicine and various degrees.
With information from .
