Introduction

The institutionalization and management of education systems in the Brazilian territory constitute an unquestionably significant historical process in the country’s educational agenda. Indeed, it is a complex subject matter that is marked by diverse proposals, progress, and setbacks, which are undoubtedly intrinsically connected to the consolidation of the Republic, federalism, and the democratic rule of law (^{DOURADO, 2018}).

The appreciation of basic education professionals is one of the key elements for the consolidation of the National Education System and for the realization of the National Education Plan (PNE), specifically Goal 18, which tasks the Union, states, municipalities, and the Federal District with ensuring the Minimum Salary for Basic Education Professionals (PCR), as mandated by Article 61 of the National Education Guidelines and Bases Law (LDB) (Law No. 9,394/96). However, this requirement demands new efforts from the federal entities to make feasible and to implement what the minimum wage Law (Law No. 11,738/2008) actually prescribes.

In Brazil, some aspects must be considered due to the significant salary variation and different rules for promotion and for types of bonuses that were not established in line with the possibilities of implementing the Minimum Wage Law, as the salary theme cannot be treated in a fragmented manner. “This does not mean, on the other hand, building a national career standard or a single career for the country” (BRAZIL, 2016, p. 5). However, the remuneration of education professionals should be considered a priority as it is an achievement for the recognition of this category, as guaranteed in the Federal Constitution of 1988. The mentioned Constitution establishes in Article 206 the requirement for the development of career plans with entry exclusively through public competitive exams, in addition to setting the minimum wage as an expression of the appreciation of the respective professionals.

It is essential to note that the Minimum Wage Law has regulated and defined the career of all teaching professionals who engage in teaching or teaching support activities. This law constitutes a strategy for achieving equity in educational provision, and its connection to career plans and remuneration is necessary. However, a significant national challenge arises: “to adapt the teaching professionals careers so that they are both attractive for the recruitment of quality professionals, financially sustainable, and effective tools for complying with the Minimum Wage Law” (^{BRAZIL, 2016}, p. 5-6).

The organization of the education professional’s career and the Municipal Education System itself have a significant impact on professional appreciation and, consequently, the work carried out. Although the structuring of the careers of these professionals is based on legal principles (^{BRAZIL, 1988; 1996}; 2008; 2010; ²⁰¹⁴), several contradictions permeate the modus operandi of the public authorities regarding the realization of this right concerning aspects that involve professional training policies, salaries, working hours, and working conditions. These factors are increasingly associated with the need for a national policy for the training and appreciation of education professionals, which is still lacking in Brazil. Although the National Education Plan (PNE) emphasizes the importance of such a policy, the absence of actions and proposals in the field of Brazilian educational policy that support the plan is evident.

Considering the National Education Plan (PNE) for the years 2014-2024 and the actions carried out within the scope of PRISME in the municipalities of Tocantins, the research addresses the following problem: how does the institutionalization and management of municipal education systems occur regarding the appreciation of education professionals? To this end, the study has the general objective of comprehending the process of institutionalization and management of municipal education systems with an emphasis on the appreciation of education professionals, using the PNE goals as the guiding framework, based on the actions developed within the PRISME framework in the state of Tocantins.

Organized into four sections, in addition to this introduction, concluding remarks, and references, the work addresses, in its first section, neoliberal policies and their impacts on education. The second section highlights the legislations that guide the implementation of career and remuneration plans for basic education professionals. The third section covers the characterization of the CollaborAction Tocantins Network (RCT) and the Program for Institutionalization and Management of Municipal Education Systems/Education. Finally, an analysis of strategies 18.4 and 18.8 from Goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE) of the career plans of municipal education professionals in the twenty municipalities participating in the RCT/PRISME program in the state of Tocantins.

The tensions of the neoliberal model in the process of work and appreciation of education professionals

Understanding the foundations of the neoliberal model and its impacts on the working conditions of education professionals enables an enhanced capacity to formulate policies that promote improvements in the work and the appreciation of this professional group.

The Goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE) 2014-2024 establishes strategies that promote attractiveness and career opportunities in basic education, which are fundamental to ensure education as a fundamental, universal, and inalienable right, as well as to overcome issues related to universal access, retention, development, and learning of students, aiming for educational quality. Building a career in basic education is a legal right for workers; however, many factors interfere with this appreciation, such as political, social, and economic implications resulting from the neoliberal model.”

Neoliberal thinking, of a theoretical and political nature, emerged in 1945 to oppose the stance of the interventionist State preached and disseminated by the Social Welfare State in a context characterized by the post-war period in European and North American countries, where capitalism was beginning to establish its hegemony (^{ANDERSON, 1995}).

According to ^{Almeida (2021)}, neoliberalism emerges in opposition to the social welfare state which throughout its historical development, aimed to control economic transactions and dominate profitable segments of society. Therefore, the minimal intervention in the economy and profit maximization reflects on the inanition of the State of its fundamental role, which is to ensure social rights.

The Welfare State envisions a state management based on the principles of thought that were introduced during the 1929 crisis by the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes. Keynes advocated for the radical intervention of the state in the form of economic policies at the time, such as job creation, market dynamics, and the demand for goods and services. The post-war global policy, under state mediation, was configured in welfare proposals with the aim of economic growth (^{ALMEIDA, 2021}).

The post-war market instabilities formed the basis for the reformulation of economic and social protection policies, which allowed for the development of the Welfare State. Thus, the neoliberal proposal favored the rule of law and the institutions of a freely functioning market and free trade, which were seen as essential for institutional, economic, and socio-political success. In this way, ‘neoliberalism emerged as a strategy in opposition to Keynesian ideas, propagated by the Welfare State, and it is also opposed to state regulation’ (^{ALMEIDA, 2021}, n/a).

Neoliberal ideas have an impact on all aspects of the state, particularly on the economy and the market, which are essential factors in the functioning of economic relationships, and consequently, the private sector. Neoliberalism also relieves the state of responsibility when it comes to social issues, placing the burden on the individual to ensure their own well-being, individual rights, and freedom.

According to ^{D’Oliveira (2017)}, in Brazil, the neoliberal model implemented since the 1990s led to the opening of the Brazilian economy to greater international competition, privatization of state-owned companies, and the flexibility of the oil monopoly. The state’s disengagement from interfering in public policies for fundamental sectors like education and health resulted in issues such as unemployment, precarious labor, and an increase in the population living in poverty.

These factors, combined with the streamlining of the public administration, have resulted in a scarcity of public job openings and a flexibilization of the workforce, as the social guarantees provided to workers have become an unacceptable cost for the state (^{D’OLIVEIRA, 2017}). According to ^{Paulani (2006, p. 80)}, “outsourcing of labor, part-time contracts, and work with freelancers aim not only to reduce working hours but also to share the capitalist risk with the workforce.”

These neoliberal conditionalities have led to a decrease and loss of labor benefits such as paid vacations, the thirteenth salary, lower wages, and precarious working conditions (^{GONÇALVES et al., 2013}). They also contribute to the idea of a “perfect” professional who works in a versatile, qualified, creative, multi-professional manner, possesses personal maturity, and excels in interpersonal relationships (^{LIMA, 2003}; ^{D’OLIVEIRA, 2017}).

The productive logic resulting from global competition and profit expansion has spurred the rapid advancement of technology. It has also led to organizational changes without investments in technology and worker training, leaving it to the workers themselves to acquire these competencies and skills. In other words, it places the responsibility on them to seek professional improvement with the aim of obtaining and/or maintaining employment in the face of market demands. As a result, other workers ended up entering the informal job market without labor rights and social security (^{D’OLIVEIRA, 2017}).

As a reflection of this flexibility, ^{Gonçalves et al. (2014)} emphasize that due to the low wages assigned to workers and the high cost of living, the search for multiple jobs to maintain their standard of living, greater security, and subsistence becomes common. This results in long working hours, intense work rhythms, reduced leisure time, rest, family interaction, and poor health quality, leading to various types and intensities of work-related risks, including health risks. The logic of flexibility implies the precariousness of working conditions as a means of manipulating the subjectivity of workers in favor of capital, which, in turn, directly affects their life and work.

Considering the above, the neoliberal perspective in the construction of career and compensation plans is expressed through a policy that establishes general guidelines for setting salaries based on job roles, salary table revision, competitiveness, productivity, and professional performance. This practice is oriented towards a managerial culture of commitment and engagement with the institution’s objectives, managerial attitudes and styles that foster initiative, innovation, a focus on results, and other behaviors that support the organization’s development and consolidation in the market.

On the other hand, ^{Mendes et al. (2018, p. 850)} highlight the career plan, from a democratic perspective, as a tool for managing personnel policy that guides the integration and provides incentives for personal and professional development for workers.

[...] consists of a set of rules that guide the trajectory of workers in their careers with the aim of valuing the employee. Through it, the worker can learn about their potential for professional and financial development. However, it is important to emphasize that career management is not merely a technical matter. The socio-economic structures and the historical context within which professionals are involved should always be considered.

In this perspective, the construction of a career plan should not be seen as a neutral process that can be justified just by administrative rationality. It is a construction with political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions, and as such, it should involve the participation of education workers. It should be attractive and motivating, providing an opportunity for the municipal education system to commit to the development of the worker and the appreciation of the professional career.

Despite the existence of all the legislation, recognition given to this topic, and the discussions and decisions in forums held in recent decades, the discussion of this theme is limited to the agendas of labor movements and occasional protests. “However, even with recognition by administrators of the advantages of adopting this tool, numerous challenges are mentioned, including legal, financial, technical, and political issues, which constitute restrictive barriers to its implementation” (^{MENDES et al., 2018}, p. 850).

Legislations that guide the implementation of Career and Compensation Plans for basic education professionals

The National Education Plan establishes in its goal 18 that the federative entities should:

Ensure, within 2 (two) years, the existence of Career Plans for public basic and higher education professionals in all education systems, taking as a reference for the Career Plan of public basic education professionals the national professional minimum wage, as defined by federal law, in accordance with Article VIII of Article 206 of the Federal Constitution

(^{BRAZIL, 2014}).

The regulation of the career established in the National Education Plan (PNE) covers those who perform teaching and teaching support functions, and it includes “education workers, holders of a technical or higher education diploma in a pedagogical or similar area”, as defined in Article 61 of the Law on Guidelines and Bases of National Education (LDB) (Law No. 9,394/1996), as amended by Law No. 12,014/2009 (^{BRAZIL, 2009}). The reference for the initial salary of the career is the national professional minimum wage. The same law establishes in Goal 17 that the federative entities must “value public basic education teachers in a way that equates their average income to that of other professionals with equivalent education until the end of the sixth year of this PNE’s validity.”

Therefore, considering goals 17 and 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE), the challenge for Municipal Education Systems (SMEs) will be to create Career and Compensation Plans (PCRs) that set the initial salary as the national professional minimum wage and that promote career development while establishing an average income equivalent to that of other professionals with the same level of education.

The implementation of Goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE), as reflected in the respective Municipal Education Plans (PME) and the Articulated Action Plan (PAR), serves as the coordinators for Municipal Education Systems (SMEs) and definers of public policies focusing on goals 18, 19 and 20 of the PNE. This requires careful financial planning to meet the conditions for the disbursement of voluntary federal transfers. Consequently, compliance with the Minimum Wage Law and the development or adaptation of Career and Compensation Plans (PCRs) will be based on legislations that address professional development and those that establish limits on personnel expenditures, along with regulations for public finance focused on fiscal management responsibility - Law Complementary No. 101/2000 (BRAZIL, 2000).

To support the federative entities in adapting and creating Career and Compensation Plans (PCRs), some regulations and legislations that guide public policies for the appreciation of education professionals should be considered, as presented in the following table.

It is evident that the presented legislation mandates and prioritizes the process of valuing education professionals. A historical analysis indicates that the subject is a challenging reality when it comes to the development of Career and Compensation Plans (PCRs), especially considering that “plans carried out without careful planning, without considering the needs of the education system and the budgetary conditions of the administration, can lead to the impossibility of complying with national laws” (^{BRAZIL, 2016}, p. 12-13).

Furthermore, the New Fund for Basic Education and the Valuation of Education Professionals (Fundeb) - Law No. 14.113/2020 (BRAZIL, 2020), as amended by Law No. 14.276 of December 27, 2021, article 26 and paragraph 2 - establishes resources from the Fund specifically allocated for the compensation of basic education professionals in active service, bonuses, salary updates, and adjustments in the form of bonuses. In this regard, ^{Gatti (2012, p. 108)} argues that “the salary situation of teachers itself places the profession and its professionals in a true crisis that affects their identity and survival.”

For the applicability of the Career and Compensation Plan (PCR), not only basic salary expenses but also total compensation should be taken into consideration.

The basic salary is the compensation due to the professional by the employer for performing the duties of their position, while the total compensation consists of the basic salary plus monetary benefits, as regulated by the law that structures the career. A good understanding of these concepts and the methods for estimating calculations not only enhances the day-to-day management of the career but, if known by all parties involved, also improves the dialogue between administrators and professionals, bringing transparency to decisions made in negotiation processes

(^{BRAZIL, 2016}, p. 18-19).

In addition to financing, to achieve Goal 18, it is necessary to establish spaces for dialogue and transparency on the subject, such as the Permanent Forum, which monitors the development of policies for professional valuation with reference to the National Education Plan (PNE) and Law 11.738/2008. This space, as it is a privileged environment for analyzing Career and Compensation Plans (PCRs), primarily involves basic education professionals and public administrators.

Thus, the Career and Compensation Plan (PCR) should be included in the respective Laws of Municipal Education Systems and in the Municipal Education Plans. Strategy 18.8 of the National Education Plan (PNE) 2014-2024 states that education networks and systems should encourage the creation of specific committees for the development, restructuring, and implementation of career plans.

The Career and Compensation Plan is a significant incentive for the improvement and progression of the employee. It should be approved in the form of a law, with its purposes and scope (Law No. 11.738/2008), and should consider, in its structure and operation, among other items, the following:

The possible job positions and placement levels, the rules for mobility, contract and working hours type, required qualifications and entry methods, salaries, and compensation (bonuses and additional payments), criteria for leave of absence and secondment, as well as the provision for a commission for its implementation and management should all be considered in the Career and Compensation Plan

(^{BRAZIL, 2016}, p. 51).

Considering factors such as entry, professionalization, and appreciation, the career of public basic education teachers covered by this legislation has the following basic principles:

1. Entry through public competitive exams involving both tests and qualifications, by field of expertise and corresponding educational background for the position;

2. Professionalization, which includes professional qualification with adequate compensation and working conditions;

3. Valuation of professional service duration, professional performance, qualification, and knowledge;

4. Regular progression and promotions

(BRAZIL, 2016, p. 54).

It is essential to understand the term “position” and how the career is structured within the plan. “Position is defined by a set of specific duties, responsibilities, and compensation for its holders, such as the position of a teacher” (^{BRAZIL, 2016}, p. 54). Once the positions are determined, the structure in which the professional can advance in their career through vertical or horizontal progression needs to be specified. This structure can be represented by letters or numbers. “Some career and compensation plans require the professional to pass a performance evaluation to progress in their career” (^{BRAZIL, 2016}, p. 57).

Professional development should be ensured by the Career and Compensation Plan, considering the provision of courses for improvement or specialization in institutions accredited by the Ministry of Education (MEC), in-service training programs, as well as other professional qualification activities with the guarantee of paid leave.

In this perspective, ^{Oliveira (2010, p. 19)} argues that

The professionalization of teaching can be understood as a historical process that varies with the socio-economic context to which it is subjected, but, above all, it has defined types of training and specialization, career, and compensation for a specific social group that has been growing and consolidating.

It is understood that the valorization of teaching is linked to economic, political, and social aspects related to the context in which educators operate. Therefore, if these elements are not considered, there is a risk of implementing legislation that may not fully meet the current needs of basic education professionals.

Characterization of the Tocantins CollaborAction Network (RCT) and the Program for Institutionalization and Management of Municipal Education Systems

In order to support municipal education systems and networks, particularly in dealing with the challenges brought about by the pandemic, the CollaborAction Tocantins Network (RCT) - coordinated by the Union of Municipal Education Leaders - Tocantins sectional (Undime-Tocantins) - is the result of a collective effort by groups and institutions working in education: Municipal Education Leaders (DME); members of the Child and Youth Prosecution Service Support Center of the Tocantins State Public Prosecutor’s Office (Caopije/MPETO); researchers from the Federal University of Tocantins in the Municipal Education Study, Research, and Extension Group and the Observatory for Education Systems and Plans (GepeEM/ObSPE/UFT); and teachers from the Municipal and State Public School Systems.

In 2022, as a continuation of RCT’s work, the Program for the Institutionalization and Management of Municipal Education Systems was created. Its objective is to ensure the formation and establishment of an Interactive Educational Nature Virtual Environment for monitoring and tracking the components of Municipal Education Systems. Through training and its mediations, it is possible to support the process of effective institutionalization and management of the Municipal Education System, with the intention that municipalities establish autonomy and fulfill their educational responsibilities, integrating with federal and state policies and plans (RCT/PRISME, 2022).

Thus, this qualitative and documentary research was conducted based on the sources and documentary evidence from RCT/PRISME available on the platform of the Interactive Educational Nature Virtual Environment (AVNEI), where municipalities responded to questions related to the institutionalization and management of municipal education. These questions aimed to understand the reality of municipal education concerning elements related to democratic management, career plans, and the appreciation of education professionals based on goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE) 2014-2024. Therefore, this study focused on examining strategies 18.4 and 18.8 of the PNE in dialogue with the municipal reality.

It is important to clarify that the analysis of strategies 18.4 and 18.8 within the scope of the career plans of municipal education professionals in twenty municipalities participating in RCT/PRISME in the state of Tocantins is a subset of the municipalities that participate in the working group known as (GT 4) of PRISME.

Analysis of strategies 18.4 and 18.8 of goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE) within the career plans of municipal education professionals in the twenty municipalities participating in RCT/PRISME in the state of Tocantins.

Based on the analysis of the reality of municipal education regarding the implementation and restructuring of career and compensation plans, the discussion will focus on goal 18, which involves the development of career and compensation plans, as well as strategies 18.4 and 18.8 within goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE) in the context of the 20 municipalities surveyed as part of Working Group 4 (GT4), as listed in Table 2.

The analysis of Chart 1 below presents Goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE) based on the data provided by the surveyed municipalities that are participants of RCT/PRISME. These municipalities used a set of alternatives to assess their status in relation to the specified goal and provide documentary evidence of their selected response.

Source: Authors’ elaboration based on the career and compensation plans included in the AVNEI Platform (RCT, 2023).

Chart 1 Verification of Goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE) - Existence of Career and Compensation Plans in the surveyed municipalities 

Considering the information provided, among the 20 municipalities analyzed, 12 have specific laws that establish career and compensation plans for education professionals. In this regard, the valorization of employees and the career perspective account for 60% of the analyzed textual corpus, with significant terms such as ‘valorization’, ‘PCR’ (career and compensation plan), ‘quality’, and ‘achievement’.

Considering that the period established for the implementation of the current National Education Plan (PNE) ends in 2024 and that the plan requires “ensuring, within 2 (two) years, the existence of career plans for professionals in public basic and higher education in all education systems [...]” (^{BRAZIL, 2014}, p. 12), it is essential to emphasize the need for ongoing dialogue and the search for ways to fully comply with this requirement. This is a crucial aspect for professional valorization within the context experienced by municipalities.

Strategy 18.4 of the National Education Plan (PNE) stipulates that education systems and networks should include in the career plans of education professionals paid leaves and incentives for professional development, including at the postgraduate stricto sensu level, considering that each municipality developed its municipal education plan in dialogue with the PNE.

Source: Authors’ elaboration based on the career and compensation plans of the surveyed municipalities included in the AVNEI Platform (RCT, 2023).

Chart 2 Compliance with Goal 18.4 of the National Education Plan (PNE) 

Chart 2 indicates that ten municipalities have developed their plans in accordance with legal requirements, which corresponds to 50%. Three municipalities do not provide paid leaves, and seven still do not have specific legislation establishing the career and compensation plan (PCR). A close look at the data highlights the fact that creating a career plan with the goal of consolidating professional valorization is not enough. Contemplating a teaching career without provisions for continuous education in suitable conditions amounts to a prediction without the possibility of realization, which represents another significant challenge for municipal education.

Source: Authors’ elaboration based on the career and compensation plans included in the AVNEI Platform (RCT, 2023).

Chart 3 Verification of Goal 18.8 of the National Education Plan (PNE) - Participation of Education Professionals in the Construction of Career Plans 

Chart 3 shows that only one municipality involved education professionals in the development of their career plan. Analyzing this indicator leads to a deep reflection on the principles that should guide educational and management processes in this context, including democratic governance, which requires active participation. Institutionalizing the municipal education system demands participation in the creation of each element, because the focus is on public schools.

As ^{Bordenave (1994, p. 16)} notes, “[...] participation has two complementary bases: an affective basis - we participate because we take pleasure in doing things with others; and an instrumental basis - we participate because doing things with others is more effective and efficient than doing them alone.” Therefore, the lack of participation is seen as an obstacle encountered within municipal education systems.

The absence of participation in this process and real career growth opportunities is seen as one of the factors that further hinders the retention of education professionals. Issues like compensation and “working conditions falling short of expectations, difficulty in accessing workplaces, requirements for full-time or exclusive dedication, limited professional advancement opportunities, lack of professionals, and precarious job relationships” (^{MENDES et al., 2018}, p. 854) also contribute to the challenge.

^{Silva and Rodrigues (2021, p. 461)} state that “this reality becomes more pronounced when it is observed that, even with the establishment of the Minimum Wage Law, there is still a serious lack of career plans in many educational systems,” and this is reflected in the reality of municipal education in terms of complying with and implementing the current legislation within municipal education systems.

The National Education Plan (PNE) establishes guidelines and goals for the national, state, and municipal development of education and binds the federative entities to its provisions, requiring them to take their own measures to achieve the specified goals. According to ^{Dourado (2016)}, the plan is at the center of state education policies, and it is crucial to fight for its realization because the effective actions of education professionals and representative entities will ensure its implementation. Thus, the participation of these professionals, considering the issue as a constitutional principle, “is not limited to an administrative matter but a social matter that involves public education” (^{BRITO et al., 2021}, p. 351).

As the National Education Plan (PNE) for the period 2014-2024 “reclaims the role of teachers; addresses the strengthening of initial and ongoing education, and professional valorization, emphasizing the need to implement a Career Plan that values the teaching profession” (^{OSTER; MARTINS, 2023}, p.2). Thus, the participation of education professionals in the specific committees for the development, restructuring, and implementation of Career Plans is indispensable.

The career plan is, therefore, a fundamental component in the formation of education professionals and in shaping their professional identity. According to ^{Jacomini and Penna (2016, p. 196)}, “there is a need for the development of structured career plans in order to provide promising prospects for teachers, promoting their political and social valorization.”

Therefore, the creation of a permanent commission is a way to seek valorization. Since the Career Plan cannot be a piece elaborated from year to year, which is not discussed, not evaluated, but represents for the municipality a continuous action based on what is collectively built with education professionals. The dimension of collective and democratic construction as the mentioned Plan should be organized for the valorization of those who are involved in education.

Final considerations

The research aimed to discuss the institutionalization and management of municipal education systems with a focus on the career plan and professional development through document analysis facilitated by RCT/PRISME in the state of Tocantins. It should be noted that this is a historical debate that has been evolving into public policies to ensure the right to professional development and valorization as guaranteed in career plans. However, it is known that the constant tensions of the neoliberal model have a negative impact on the work processes of this professional group and pose a significant challenge in complying with the minimum wage Law (Law No. 11.738/2008) and the National Education Plan, the epicenter of our country’s educational public policies.

The document analysis of Goal 18 of the National Education Plan (PNE) and its respective strategies - 18.4 and 18.8 - among the twenty municipalities surveyed that are part of RCT/PRISME reveals the absence of teaching careers defined by laws. In other words, there are no specific legislations addressing career plans within the scope of the Municipal Education Systems (SME). The municipalities that did establish such plans did it so arbitrarily, without the involvement of relevant stakeholders or with limited participation. This indicates the urgent need for initiatives that enable the development, implementation, restructuring, and realization of Career Plans in educational networks and systems in a democratic and participatory manner.