Evasão escolar em cursos técnicos no IFTO, campus Araguaína: análise comparativa dos períodos pré e pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the factors associated with school dropout in technical high school courses at the Federal Institute of Tocantins (IFTO), Campus Araguaína, during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. The study employed a quantitative approach to analyze institutional data on school dropouts at IFTO, Campus Araguaína, for pre- and post-pandemic periods. The exploratory-descriptive research, based on documentary data, included descriptive analyses and simple and multiple logistic regression models to identify factors associated with dropout. Data were integrated from sources such as the Nilo Peçanha Platform and IFTO's internal system, with rigorous cleaning and categorization steps to ensure methodological robustness and validity. It was found that school dropout rates at Campus Araguaína decreased from 13.0% in the pre-pandemic period to 5.7% during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the prepandemic period, the main factors associated with dropout were male gender (OR=1.82), age between 18 and 24 years (OR=3.31), and non-white race (OR=2.25). During the pandemic, low family income (RFP≤1) emerged as the main determinant, with an odds ratio of 4.28. Additionally, emergency institutional policies, such as the distribution of technological devices and financial aid, played a fundamental role in reducing dropout, suggesting the effectiveness of specific interventions in crisis scenarios. The results indicate that school dropout is a multifactorial phenomenon whose determinants vary according to social and economic contexts. This study contributes to understanding dropout dynamics in crisis scenarios, offering insights into more effective and equitable policies in institutions of the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific, and Technological Education (RFEPCT).