The access of worker students in the Nocturnal Biological Sciences Course at UEM: inclusion or exclusion?

Abstract

It was surveyed the characteristics of prospect and enroled students in the Biological Sciences (integral and nocturnal) course at Maringá State University, between 1996 to 2000. Some characteristics (social, economic and cultural) were compared between the two groups of students (prospect and enroled). A great deal of prospect students to the nocturnal course presented the expected characteristics, they were worker students without the possibility to dedicate totally to university. However, a considerable part of the enroled students in the nocturnal course (like the students enroled in the integral course), does not work and have dedicated part of their time to research, teaching and/or extension activities. The exclusion of young workers from public universities could be related to the “quiz” needed to the enroled. Because young workes have to choose between professional carrier and /or continue studying in private universities. It is suggested a more democratic way to be enroled in colleges, such as increase the number of seats and better integrate educators from high school and colleges. This would allow the students to better understand, think and evaluate questions related to his education.