INFLUENCE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM A BRAZILIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

Several affirmative action policies have been implemented in Brazil, aiming at decreasing inequalities towards access and permanence of students in the superior education institutions. A pioneer attempt has been made at University of Brasilia (UnB), beginning 2004. At that year, UnB introduced the quota system for the access of black students to the high level of education, as an affirmative action against social inequalities. As shown by Velloso (2009), the academic performance among quota and nonquota students was similar. Additionally, Francis and Tannuri-Pianto (2010) showed the academic performance of quote students compared with nonquota students was slightly small during the period of years 2003-2005. However, the data on the learning process showed there was no reduction on the learning performance of those students upon their entry into the University. This study aims at the comparative analysis of the academic performance among students that got entry to UnB through the quota system and that majority of students entering the university through vestibular examination, in the period years 2009-2011. To evaluate the academic performance it was calculated the academic performance index, which was rated 0 to 5. This analysis considers the total credits obtained in the disciplines students take and the grades they obtain, and, also, the total compulsory and choice disciplines students do not conclude. To accomplish the task the academic
index of quota and nonquota students were subjected to a nonparametric method, which consists in a matching based at the propensity scores (propensity score matching). The data for analyses were obtained from the Undergraduate Academic Information System (SIGRA-UnB). The social-economic variable trait used was the origin of the students, that was, whether they concluded the high school in the private or in public school, in the Federal District or somewhere else. The results that have been estimated suggested that black students that had access to UnB through the quota system program, who had made the fundamental public school outside Federal District had an academic index superior to those that entered the UnB in the regular, non affirmative action program. Similar observation was made for the performance of students from private high schools outside the Federal District. On the other hand, no significative difference was found between academic index for quota and nonquota students from private or public schools at the Federal District. The evaluation of results stemming from the affirmative action policy is herein considered highly important for the Brazilian society. For it contributes significantly for the discussion on the process of democratization of access to the high education level. These results may stir further discussions on the racial and other bias concerning the allocation of seats to blacks and minority groups at the Brazilian Universities, such as, for example, whether or not exists difference on the origin of candidate at the public or private school systems.