Participação dos pais e/ou encarregados de educação na vida escolar de estudantes com deficiência: estudo em Maputo, Moçambique

Abstract

This thesis is situated within the field of Education, in the research line Teacher Education and Educational Work, of the Graduate Program in Education at the Faculty of Education of the Federal University of Goiás, Brazil. Entitled “Participation of parents and/or guardians in the school life of students with disabilities: a study in Maputo, Mozambique,” the research aimed to analyze how teachers, school administrators, members of School Councils, and parents or guardians understand and experience family participation in the schooling process of students with disabilities. In this regard, the study sought to understand how the involvement of these family members relates to the process of school inclusion of students with disabilities or special educational needs in mainstream education. Methodologically, this is exploratory Participatory Research with a qualitative approach. The critical strand of Participatory Research was adopted, based on the work of Carlos Rodrigues Brandão, one of the leading references in this research perspective (Brandão, 1984). Data were produced through semi-structured interviews and documentary research and analysis. The study involved three parents or guardians of students with disabilities duly enrolled in the selected schools; four teachers who taught classes attended by students with disabilities; three school administrators; and three representatives of the School Councils, totaling 13 participants. Documentary research was also conducted in the schools, whose records provided relevant elements for the investigation, together with an analysis of national education policies and documents signed by Mozambique with international organizations. The data were examined according to the principles of Content Analysis, as proposed by Bardin (1977), enabling the categorization of the information and the identification of themes and meanings present in the participants’ accounts and in the documents analyzed. Four analytical categories emerged from the interviews: “Inclusive education in the social context,” “Impact of interaction and school support,” “Teacher education and pedagogical support for teaching,” and “Structural barriers and challenges.” The results indicated that Mozambique’s educational policies are aligned with the guidelines of international organizations, although there is a gap between formally established directives and their implementation in everyday school life. These policies recognize and encourage family participation in the schooling process. From the participants’ perspectives, the involvement of parents or guardians contributes to monitoring learning, developing life skills, and promoting the school inclusion of students with disabilities. The findings also point to the need to transform public policy guidelines into effective actions by creating adequate physical and material conditions in schools, expanding support services, and investing in teacher education for inclusive education.