Manifesto pela Educação Popular: breve trajetória no âmbito das políticas públicas e perspectivas futuras a partir do Governo Lula 3

Abstract

Popular Education is a pedagogical approach centered on participation, dialogue, and emancipation, essential for engaging communities in the construction of their realities. Its relevance stands out in the formulation and implementation of public policies, promoting collective actions and developing critical capacities in individuals. This study aims to understand how this approach can influence and improve public policies, especially in the current context. Adopting a critical perspective and a qualitative approach, the research is based on a historical and dialectical analysis of Popular Education, using tools such as bibliographic review, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The objective is to explore the guidelines and practices emerging in the Brazilian context, whether directly embedded in public policies or under the institutional umbrella of the National Secretariat for Social Participation, specifically within the Popular Education Directorate, which aims to integrate Popular Education into public policies while fostering social transformation and citizenship. The experiences portrayed in this study, including the impact of Popular Education on public policies, the 2014 publication of the Reference Framework for Popular Education in Public Policies, and the current policy being formulated under Lula's third administration (2023–2026), demonstrate that Popular Education not only encourages social participation but also significantly contributes to the formulation and implementation of more representative policies. Despite advancements in the institutionalization of Popular Education, such as the re-establishment of the Popular Education Directorate at the federal level, challenges were identified, including political resistance and resource shortages. The current political landscape presents opportunities to strengthen this approach, but continuous commitment is required to overcome barriers. It is concluded that Popular Education is essential to ensure that the voices of marginalized groups are heard and to promote structural changes in public policies while facing political and economic challenges for its implementation and institutional continuity.