Educação ambiental e agroecologia: o papel das escolas do campo de Quedas do Iguaçu-PR

Abstract

Environmental Education plays a fundamental role, especially in agroecological projects and actions in Rural Schools, being a determining factor for awareness and attitude, especially with the environmental changes of the last decade. However, there are different factors involved, on which an effective Environmental Education depends, or it will be a mere nomenclature mentioned in school curricula. In this sense, the present study sought to analyze the protagonism of Rural Schools in Environmental and Agroecological Education. The research was carried out in the seven State Rural Schools of Quedas do Iguaçu-PR, located in seven rural communities in the municipality. The methodological approach used was quali-quantitative. Semi-structured interviews were carried out, with questionnaires containing open and closed questions applied to school directors. The data obtained were tabulated using Microsoft Office Excel software and the content analysis method was applied. Additionally, documental research was carried out and information was gathered from the school and from databases of different institutions (IPARDES, IBGE, SIT, among others) to compose the secondary data of the study. It was found that Environmental Education is present in almost all educational institutions (85.71%), except for only one of the seven studied. The approach to this theme is directly related to Environmental Education projects developed with students. Among the projects carried out by Rural Schools are vegetable gardens at school (schools A, B, C, D, E, and F), protection of water springs (schools B, E, and F), production of cleaning products (soap) with reuse of domestic oil waste (school F), production of leafy species in a hydroponics system (school E), source of solar energy for heating water (school B) and preparations for the Agroecology Journey (schools C, D, and E). The projects are developed based on the schools' initiative or with external incentives from companies and institutions such as ENGIE Brasil Energia, the National Rural Learning Service (SENAR), and the Paraná Rural Development Institute (EMATER) mainly. Given the above, from the present study, it is possible to conclude that Environmental Education is planned and has been worked on in the State Rural Schools of Quedas do Iguaçu/PR. However, Agroecology is little present in these educational institutions, whether in actions or in guiding documents. Thus, given the importance, as well as the convergence of the principles of Agroecology and Environmental Education, the search for the expansion of these themes in Rural Schools is necessary and should be encouraged.