Dropout, Retention, and Completion in the Pedagogy Program at the Federal University of Espírito Santo: Reflections on Student Persistence
Name: BRETT ALOYSIUS ANNA VAN LOON
Publication date: 06/08/2026
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| EDUARDO AUGUSTO MOSCON OLIVEIRA | Presidente |
| KALLINE PEREIRA AROEIRA | Examinador Interno |
| LEONARDO BARBOSA E SILVA | Examinador Externo |
Summary: This study aims to identify the elements that contribute to non-completion of the Pedagogy program among daytime and evening students at the Center of Education (CE) of the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Goiabeiras campus. It is a qualitative research supported by quantitative data, configured as an exploratory, descriptive, and interpretative study of reality. The target audience comprises students who dropped out of the program between 2015 and 2024. Initially, the approach to student dropout in Brazilian regulations and specialized literature is analyzed, focusing on theoretical models, definitions, and calculation and diagnostic methods. The theoretical framework is based on Bean and Metzner, who developed the non-traditional student attrition model, a concept aligned with the profile of Pedagogy undergraduates in Brazil; and Cabrera, Castañeda, Nora and Hengstler´s integrated model of persistence, which discusses the relevance of financial support for equity and academic persistence among low-income students. Subsequently, data from the Anísio Teixeira National Institute for Educational Studies and Research (INEP) and UFES outline the overview of dropout rates, allowing for a comparison of the Pedagogy program with other programs at the university and with the national average in the field. The timeframe spans the last ten years, a period during which UFES consolidated its database on dropout, retention, and completion rates. Correlating this information points to the official causes of withdrawal and identifies how calculation metrics from INEP and UFES tend to inflate the number of dropouts in higher education, highlighting how results would change if only cases of effective dropout were considered. The second stage of the research gathers qualitative data collected from key actors at the Center of Education, students, administrative staff, and professor, through interviews and questionnaires. Cross-referencing this data aims to elucidate the causes of withdrawal and identify student retention actions already practiced by the institution. The witnesses revealed the need to promote broad and sequential political and pedagogical transformations. Reformulating teaching structures and the curriculum, increasing curricular flexibility, and combating exclusionary pedagogical practices are important areas of focus within the university. On a national level, there is na urgente need to increase funding to universities for student assistance. Additionally, the continuous fight for the appreciation of the teaching profession in society is necessary to enhance the course’s appeal. Finally, the study proposes retention and student assistance strategies grounded in successful experiences of other researchers, aiming to improve completion conditions for Pedagogy students.
