Quota policy in higher education

An analysis of the inclusion of Indigenous, Quilombola, and Disabled People in the undergraduate courses at the State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB)

Abstract

This communication aims to share the results achieved from a 2019 research on the social inclusion policy adopted by a public university located in the interior of the state of Bahia for Indigenous peoples, Quilombola communities, and people with disabilities. Under the banner of a colorful, plural, and diverse university, the research, through a qualitative-quantitative analysis of the quota system adopted by UESB between 2009 and 2017, using bibliographical and documentary research methods complemented by content analysis for data processing, resulted in the following findings: in nearly a decade of adopting the inclusion policy by UESB, Indigenous peoples, Quilombola communities, and people with disabilities represent only 3% of the total number of undergraduate students, with even more concerning figures where Indigenous peoples have the lowest representation (0.3%), followed by people with disabilities (0.9%) and Quilombolas (1.4%). It is at least paradoxical that Indigenous peoples have the lowest percentage of vacancy occupancy in a university whose campuses are located in the southern region of Bahia, where the highest concentrations of Indigenous populations in the state are found. The negligible representation of these groups in the undergraduate courses at UESB translates into 83% of vacant spots reserved for these individuals, 37% of those who entered dropped out, and only 23% completed their courses. However, despite these concerning data, it is understood that the mere presence of historically marginalized individuals in spaces that were previously inaccessible represents the beginning of a paradigm shift in negative stereotypes and the possibility of a new social imagination regarding Indigenous peoples, Quilombola communities, and people with disabilities in Brazil