Money in School Program transforms teaching and reinforces sustainability actions in Altamira school
The initiative of the government of Pará promotes autonomy and protagonism in public schools, encouraging environmental and learning practices in the state network
Through the Paraense Money in School Program (Prodep), from the State Department of Education (Seduc), the Ducilla Almeida do Nascimento State School, located in the municipality of Altamira, developed the school garden "Eco Ducilla", a living learning space that involves more than 980 high school students. The initiative, funded with resources from the state government, symbolizes how investment in school autonomy can generate innovative and sustainable projects within the public education network.
During an agenda in the municipality, the Secretary of Education, Ricardo Sefer, visited the school and got to know the Eco Ducilla garden up close, talking with students, teachers, and managers about the impact of the project on learning and school routine.
The secretary highlighted that the program reinforces the commitment of the government of Pará to a more autonomous, participatory, and transformative public education. "Prodep has shown how school autonomy strengthens teaching. When the school community participates in decisions and applies resources to actions that dialogue with local reality, the results are much more significant. The garden at Ducilla School is a beautiful example of how learning can flourish with government support and the engagement of all," he emphasized.
The school garden goes beyond food cultivation, as it connects students to nature, promoting environmental education, healthy eating, and interdisciplinary learning. In a dynamic environment, students apply concepts from biology, chemistry, and physics in practice, understanding the cycle of life and the importance of sustainability.
Student Neuza Karolina Rodrigues Cunha, from the 1st year of high school, celebrated the project. "Our garden is very important because it helps us have a healthier and more sustainable diet. Moreover, it serves as a laboratory for practical classes in chemistry, biology, and environmental education. Everyone participated in the garden's production, and this brought us even closer together," she pointed out.
The project aims to stimulate care for the environment and biodiversity, develop teamwork, autonomy, and social responsibility, as well as strengthen ecological awareness inside and outside the school.
Teacher Diana Xavier Reis highlighted the pedagogical relevance of the garden for the teaching-learning process. "The garden is a living laboratory where we can teach our classes in practice. Seeing students participating in all phases, from soil preparation to harvesting, is very rewarding. This sense of belonging reaches the entire school community," she explained.
Teacher Valdivino Lopes Ferreira, who works in the biology area, reinforced the project's impact on learning. "We fought for almost 20 years to have a garden at the school. Now, with Prodep, we have managed to unite theory and practice. Environmental education is a reality within Seduc, and this space is essential for students to learn in a concrete way," he observed.
Only this year, the school received R$ 181,731.00 from Prodep, a resource that made the old dream of the school community a reality.
Strengthening school management
The Paraense Money in School Program (Prodep) is an initiative of the government of Pará, through the State Department of Education (Seduc), which grants autonomy and protagonism to public schools for the development of pedagogical, environmental, and structural actions.
With the program, school management in partnership with the School Council, has more freedom to apply resources according to priority demands and daily needs, strengthening the teaching-learning process and improving school spaces.
Since 2023, the government of Pará has already transferred more than R$ 227 million through Prodep, transforming the reality of educational units throughout the state.
Only in 2025, the program allocated R$ 90 million to 708 schools, enabling maintenance actions, air conditioning, acquisition of pedagogical and technological materials, as well as environmental projects and healthy eating initiatives that benefited more than 425,000 students from the public network.
