The relevance of Florestan Fernandes' thought today as a theoretical and political reference for the education of teachers

Abstract

In the thought of Florestan Fernandes, we find a crucial reference for reflecting on the nature of knowledge and schooling that aligns with the collective self-emancipation of the oppressed and the conquest of power by the working class. From this perspective, a central aspect concerns teacher education and the educator’s stance within the teaching process. This study seeks to reflect on the contemporary relevance of Fernandes’ thought as a theoretical and political reference for the training of educators. Our methodological approach is based on a bibliographic review of the author’s works that discuss emancipatory education, focusing on the tasks linked to the revolutionary qualitative leap that must be embraced by teachers who adopt a critical and independent position in order to accompany the historical process that lies ahead for the proletarian class. The relevance of Florestan Fernandes’ reflections lies in highlighting the political dimension of teacher education as a decisive factor in the struggle between social orders. The construction of counter-hegemonic alternatives is deeply connected to the commitment of popular educators to the creation and use of liberatory paths for the marginalised.