Brazil shifts full-time education funding to Fundeb

The Brazilian federal government has decided to eliminate specific budget allocations for full-time schooling in the 2027 budget proposal sent to Congress. Instead, funding for full-time education will be integrated into Fundeb, the primary financing fund for public basic education.

This structural change allows the government to redirect resources toward the ‘Pé-de-Meia’ program, which provides financial aid to high school students. While the Ministry of Education maintains that full-time schooling remains a priority, the shift to permanent funding through Fundeb marks a significant change in fiscal management.

Experts note that while this move provides a permanent funding stream, it may limit investment growth for full-time education, as Fundeb must also cover essential local costs such as teacher salaries and school maintenance. Specific budget lines for full-time schooling have seen a sharp decline, dropping from R$ 4.9 billion in 2025 to a projected zero in 2027 under this new framework.