EDUCAÇÃO PROFISSIONAL E TECNOLÓGICA NO BRASIL: TRABALHO, DOCÊNCIA E OS DESAFIOS DA FORMAÇÃO HUMANA EM UMA PERSPECTIVA CRÍTICA

Abstract

This article analyzes the historical and political constitution of Vocational and Technological Education (VTE) in Brazil, discussing its implications for teaching work and the human development of the working population. It starts from the understanding that VTE, throughout its trajectory, has been marked by contradictions arising from the relationship between education, work, and capital, frequently subordinating itself to market demands to the detriment of a critical and holistic education. Based on a qualitative literature review, the study engages with authors of critical theory, such as Freire (1996), Frigotto (2001), Mészáros (2008), and Jessé de Souza (2017), in addition to the analysis of legal documents that guide vocational education in the country. The results indicate that teaching in VTE occupies a central role in the materialization of competing educational projects, requiring integrative, inclusive pedagogical practices committed to human emancipation. It is concluded that the perspective of comprehensive education, integrated teaching, and pedagogical praxis constitutes a fundamental path for the construction of a socially referenced vocational education committed to social transformation.