Seduc will hold elections for principals in September.

Tocantins 247 - The end of political appointments for principal positions in state public schools should happen later this year. The State Department of Education and Culture (Seduc) will hold direct elections for principals starting in September.

According to the Secretary of Education, Adão Francisco de Oliveira, the process for selecting principals will involve the following stages: a theoretical and credentials-based exam, the creation of a shortlist of three candidates to be voted on by the school community, and finally, a two-month preparatory course for the chosen principal in the area of ​​school administration.

"We want to start in September, so that it's finished in October, and the months of November and December will be dedicated to specific training for this chosen professional," the secretary told T1 Notícias (read here). 

By initiating the process, Secretary Adão Francisco demonstrates that he has the political backing of Governor Marcelo Miranda (PMDB). This is because the choice of directors by the communities, despite being democratic, is controversial. The measure has already sparked the anger of politicians allied with the governor. The most emphatic of them was state deputy José Bonifácio (PR). In early February, he took to the podium of the Legislative Assembly to defend the political appointment of directors. "I appointed teachers who were fully committed to Mr. Marcelo Miranda," said Bonifácio, who even called for Secretary Adão Francisco's resignation.read more).

In addition to electing school principals, Adão Francisco announced a review of the curriculum. "We will give more space to environmental education, which is important content in a state like Tocantins, to Education for Cultural, Historical and Architectural Heritage, and in the area of ​​sports to Capoeira, which is dance, art and sport and has everything to do with a state of black people, of children of black people," he stated.

The manager also criticized the full-time education model, adopted by the administrations of former governors Siqueira Campos (PSDB) and Sandoval Cardoso (SD), which was implemented by former secretary Danilo de Melo. According to Adão, schools need adequate spaces to make teaching more playful, enjoyable, and interesting. "You can't expect students to spend the whole day sitting in a chair, studying. It's necessary to make the school a more interesting environment," he argues.

The idea is to create model schools in the eight regions of the state. "Remember that we have the city school, the rural school, and the indigenous school. They are distinct spaces," comments the secretary.