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MEC Proposal Includes In-Person Exams, Live Classes with Mandatory Attendance, and New Rules for Centers; Private Sector Criticizes Increased Costs.
The MEC is preparing a new regulatory framework for distance education, with changes such as in-person assessments every 10 weeks and a minimum infrastructure requirement at centers. Understand the proposals and impacts.
Changes Proposed by MEC for Distance Education
The MEC plans to reform distance learning with measures to increase quality of training. Among the proposals:
- In-person assessments every 10 weeks, with 1/3 of essay questions;
- Live classes with attendance control (75% minimum presence);
- Minimum infrastructure in physical centers (laboratories, computer rooms).
The new regulatory framework is expected to be published by May 9.
New Requirements from MEC
The MEC wants in-person exams to have major weight in the final grade, preventing approval based solely on online tasks. Each assessment will include essay questions to test critical skills, especially in courses like Nursing.
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A new category of hybrid courses will be created. Live classes will have a limit of 50 students per teacher and will require 75% attendance. The goal is to increase interaction and reduce the common passivity in distance learning.
In-Person Support Centers
According to the MEC, physical centers will need to have:
- Reception;
- Computer room;
- Service area;
- Equipped laboratories (depending on the course).
The sharing of centers between institutions will be prohibited, even in smaller cities.
Impact on Institutions
The private sector warns that MEC’s changes could increase tuition fees and reduce access to higher education. Courses like Nursing, which have 40% of formations in distance learning, would be the most affected. In 2023, the course registered 193,000 online students – an increase of 1,830% since 2017.
While the MEC defends the need for regulation to ensure quality, private institutions are pushing for more dialogue. The expectation is that the final framework will maintain the main rules, only adjusting details.
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