O desmonte do Fundo de Financiamento Estudantil (FIES) e seus impactos estruturais na política educacional brasileira: entre a financeirização da educação e o direito social

Abstract

This thesis investigates the dismantling of the Student Financing Fund (FIES) within Brazilian educational policy, focusing on the processes of financialization and the implications for the social right to higher education. Using a qualitative methodology based on literature review, documentary analysis, and secondary data, the study examines the transformations in FIES, particularly since 2015, when the program underwent significant changes in its funding and management structure. Originally conceived as an instrument to broaden access to higher education, FIES increasingly operated under a financial logic that prioritized fiscal sustainability over inclusiveness. The findings indicate that these reforms curtailed the growth of the private higher education sector, increased default rates, and shifted financial risks to students and universities. Moreover, the research highlights the growing influence of financial agents in shaping public educational policies, contributing to the commodification of education in Brazil. The dissertation also analyzes the social consequences of these changes, such as the deepening of educational inequalities and the regression in the State’s commitment to guaranteeing social rights. Ultimately, the dismantling of FIES represents a critical turning point in Brazilian public policies for education, signaling a shift from a model of expanding social rights toward one driven by market rationality and neoliberal logic.