Avaliação da política de mediação escolar a partir do projeto “Escola Mediadora que Promove a Paz” (EMPAZ): um estudo na Escola Municipal José Carlos da Costa Ribeiro, em Fortaleza/CE

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate public policy on school mediation based on the implementation of the Mediating School Project that Promotes Peace (EMPAZ) at the José Carlos da Costa Ribeiro Municipal School, located in an area of high social vulnerability in the Quintino Cunha neighborhood of Fortaleza, Ceará. The investigation was guided by the perspective of In-Depth Evaluation, which comprises the critical and multidimensional analysis of public policies, considering the following axes: I) content analysis; II) context analysis; III) analysis of the institutional trajectory; and IV) analysis of the temporal and territorial spectrum. This is a qualitative, exploratory study developed through a case study strategy. The case study was conducted in the municipality of Fortaleza, Ceará, and involved the analysis of the institutional trajectory of the EMPAZ project, as well as the analysis of the temporal and territorial spectrum of the project´s implementation. The investigative process involved document analysis, direct observation, and interviews with administrators and teachers, conducted between August and October 2025. Data analysis was conducted using content analysis techniques, combined with methodological triangulation. The results reveal the theoretical relevance of the EMPAZ Project, in contrast to the fragility of its practical implementation. The project lacks the necessary political relevance and has low visibility in higher echelons. The management model, primarily oriented toward learning outcomes, disregards the fact that school violence impacts other educational policies. As a result, EMPAZ manifests itself in schools in a fragmented and disjointed manner, failing to consolidate itself as an effective conflict mediation policy. The pedagogical activism of professionals is identified as the main internal barrier to its implementation. However, the institution demonstrates a consolidated understanding of the importance of dialogue and active listening in resolving school conflicts. The adoption of school mediation as an alternative for addressing conflicts therefore requires significant advances in order to become an efficient public policy.