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Small And Unstructured Units Are At Risk Due To The Requirements For Courses With More In-Person Classes
Recent changes in the regulatory framework of distance education (EAD), implemented by the Ministry of Education (MEC), may lead to the closure of nearly 70% of the in-person support centers operating in the country.
According to official data released by the Higher Education Census 2023, only 33% of these units have a structure considered minimally viable to continue operating within the new model.
Changes Require More Structure And Impact Small Centers
The new guideline from MEC dictates that EAD courses with a higher practical or laboratory workload must have adequate physical infrastructure and staff.
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This model aims to provide quality in-person experiences. Thus, the focus shifts to mandatory attendance, especially in courses that require practical classes and in-person assessments.
These discussions have been ongoing since 2022. According to a survey by the consultancy Hoper Educação, published in June 2024, there are 52,300 officially registered EAD centers with the MEC.
However, only 26,200 are operational, meaning they have at least one student enrolled. Among these active centers, 67% have fewer than 99 enrolled students.
This, according to experts, makes it economically unfeasible to maintain a space with laboratories, technical staff, and minimum infrastructure.
Furthermore, according to the collected data, 44% of operational centers have fewer than 50 students. This scenario exacerbates the risk of imminent closure.
Especially in peripheral regions or small towns, where access to higher education was primarily facilitated through these decentralized centers.
Economic Viability Challenges The Old Model
With the new requirements, the logic of accelerated expansion and compact centers, adopted by several private institutions in recent years, becomes incompatible with current regulatory standards.
As pointed out by consultant Paulo Presse from Hoper Educação, it is likely that only one-third of the current centers will adapt to the new format.
This will allow them to continue operating with financial viability. Additionally, the infrastructure of the centers deemed unviable is generally limited to rented rooms with computers and basic internet.
These centers do not have laboratory support, physical libraries, or multidisciplinary teams. The scenario that was sufficient until 2023 no longer meets current requirements.
These in-person requirements have been stipulated by MEC since the last revisions of the EAD framework.
The objective of the new regulation is to enhance the quality of distance higher education. It seeks to ensure complete training and real infrastructure.
Mainly for courses like Nursing, Engineering, and Health and Exact Sciences, which require practical experience and continuous in-person supervision.
Scenario Pressures Private Institutions
This restructuring is expected to have direct impacts on private institutions, which account for over 90% of EAD course offerings in Brazil.
These entities, which had been betting on lean centers with automated operations, will need to quickly invest in physical adjustments.
It will also be necessary to hire staff and modernize environments. At the same time, the high number of centers with few students raises concerns.
Many institutions were using the expansion model merely as a commercial strategy, without ensuring the quality of education provided.
Thus, the revision of the regulatory framework also aims to curb practices of low quality in the sector.
Furthermore, with the revision in effect since the second half of 2023, institutions that do not adapt may lose their accreditation to offer EAD.
This is outlined in the new re-accreditation and supervision rules established by the Department of Regulation and Supervision of Higher Education (Seres/MEC).
Quality Centers Gain Prominence
Despite the forecast of the closure of thousands of centers, experts see an opportunity for strengthening better-structured centers.
The trend is that these will become regional references, absorbing demand from neighboring areas and maintaining active offerings with higher quality.
This new model may encourage consortia, local partnerships, and the verticalization of education. More robust centers may cater to several courses simultaneously.
The reduction in quantity may therefore be offset by an increase in quality and the strategic centralization of resources.
As MEC advances in oversight and implementation of the new regulatory framework, the expectation is that by the end of 2025, Brazil will have a more streamlined EAD network.
However, this network will be more robust and reliable. The change could reverse the high rates of dropout and complaints about courses with little to no quality.
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