Brazil's Lula administration expands full-time school program and extends special‑education deadline

The Lula government plans a nationwide construction program for full‑time public schools, aiming to raise the share of students in integrated schools from 19% in 2025 to the National Education Plan target of 50% by 2036. A draft law would add roughly R$280 billion to the education ministry's budget over the next decade, sidestepping fiscal limits, with an estimated R$30 billion per year for school infrastructure.

Separately, the Ministry of Education extended the enrollment deadline for the National Policy of Inclusive Special Education (PNEEI) to 15 June 2026. Since 2023 the government has earmarked R$1.2 billion for specialized education. By June 2026, 99.11% of state education networks in the Northeast had joined the policy, while adoption lagged in Paraná, Tocantins and São Paulo. The deadline extension aims to achieve full participation across all Brazilian states and municipalities.