Protagonismo juvenil do grêmio estudantil na construção de políticas públicas educacionais: um estudo de caso sobre a participação democrática na Escola Municipal Cláudio Martins

Abstract

The present research aims to assess the contributions of the Student Council to the its role as a space for student participation and as an instrument for building educational public policies within the Municipal School Cláudio Martins, in Fortaleza, Ceará. The research adopts a qualitative, evaluative approach with exploratory and descriptive characteristics, articulated with the methodology of in-depth evaluation proposed by Rodrigues (2008). Data collection instruments included document analysis, semi-structured interviews with students who are participants and non-participants of the Student Council, and direct observation of school routines, followed by content analysis based on Bardin (2016). The results indicated that the Student Council constitutes a legitimate space for student representation, fostering listening, shared responsibility, and the experience of democratic practices. The election and operational processes of the Council were found to be participatory and transparent, promoting political learning and strengthening student identity. However, the effective participation of students in pedagogical and administrative decisions remains limited by hierarchical practices and the absence of permanent mechanisms for dialogue between management, teachers, and students. It is concluded that the Student Council of the Cláudio Martins School plays a fundamental role in the civic formation of students and in the consolidation of democratic management, although it still faces structural and cultural challenges to expand its reach and institutionalize its actions. The experience analyzed reaffirms the importance of educational policies that promote youth protagonism as a formative and participatory axis, strengthening the public school as a space for democracy, dialogue, and social transformation.