27/ 47Education
Lula built. Under Flávio’s father, MEC funding shrank. Lula restored it.
Under Lula, undergraduate enrolments almost doubled[1]. Under Flávio’s father, MEC payments were 5% lower in 2022 than in 2019; under Lula, they rose again, partly because of the Novo Fundeb, approved by Congress in 2020[2][3].
Each indicator has its own scale. Compare bars within each block.
Public investment in education
Direct public investment in education · % of GDP · linear scale with zero
Federal, state and municipal governments combined. It fell from 2003 to 2005 and rose from 2006, when the source of state and municipal data changed.
View the figures in a table
| Government | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| FHC | 4.1% | 2002 |
| Lula | 4.9% | 2010 |
Undergraduate enrolments
Enrolments · millions · linear scale with zero
In-person and distance courses, at public and private institutions. In 2010, 74.2% of enrolments were in the private sector.
View the figures in a table
| Government | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| FHC | 3.52 million | 2002 |
| Lula | 6.38 million | 2010 |
MEC expenditure paid
R$ billions at December 2024 prices · linear scale with zero
- Jair BolsonaroR$ 164.6 bn
2019[2]
- Jair BolsonaroR$ 156.4 bn
2022[2]
- LulaR$ 172.6 bn
2023[2]
- LulaR$ 174.9 bn
2024[2]
Adjusted for inflation; includes Fundeb, which rises under a rule approved by Congress in 2020. The decline began in 2018.
View the figures in a table
| Government | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Jair Bolsonaro | R$ 164.6 bn | 2019 |
| Jair Bolsonaro | R$ 156.4 bn | 2022 |
| Lula | R$ 172.6 bn | 2023 |
| Lula | R$ 174.9 bn | 2024 |
Ideb for early primary years
Ideb · scale from 0 to 10 · linear scale with zero
Early years of fundamental education in Brazil. Results also depend on state and municipal school systems. The 2025 result is the highest in the series, which began in 2005.
View the figures in a table
| Government | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Lula | 3.8 | 2005 |
| Lula | 4.6 | 2009 |
| Jair Bolsonaro | 5.9 | 2019 |
| Lula | 6.3 | 2025 |
2003–2010
Almost twice as many undergraduate enrolments
In 2002, undergraduate enrolments totalled 3,520,627; in 2010, 6,379,299: +81%[1]. Lula’s government created 14 federal universities, some from existing units[7], and ProUni, with scholarships at private higher education institutions[8]. In December 2010, the federal vocational education network had 354 schools: 140 created from 1909 to 2002 and 214 under the expansion program[9].
Then came Fundeb, which began funding education from childcare to secondary school[10], the Federal Institutes[11] and the national minimum salary for teachers, of R$ 950[12]. The early-years Ideb rose from 3.8 in 2005 to 4.6 in 2009[5].
2019–2022
Funding freezes, vetoes and the smallest Enem
In April 2019, Minister Weintraub said universities engaging in “disorder” would have their “funding reduced”[13]. The 30% freeze reached all federal universities[14] and was reversed in October[15]. The 2021 Enem had 3.1 million applicants, the lowest number since 2005[16].
Jair Bolsonaro vetoed the internet access bill for public school pupils and teachers[17] and the increase in federal school meal funding, frozen since 2017 at R$ 0.36 per pupil per day in fundamental and secondary education[18][19]. Congress overturned the vetoes[17][20]; in 2023, Lula’s government raised it to R$ 0.50[19].
Since 2023
Recovery, with the highest Ideb
In 2023 and 2024, MEC payments averaged R$ 17 billion more per year than from 2019 to 2022, partly because of the 2020 Novo Fundeb[2]. Federal, state and municipal education spending combined fell from 4.7% of GDP in 2019 to 4.1% in 2021 and reached 5.1% in 2024[21].
Doctoral stipends, frozen since 2013, rose from R$ 2,200 to R$ 3,100 in 2023[22]. In 2025, Ideb reached its highest values in the series at all three stages[6]. Pé-de-Meia reaches 3.9 million secondary school pupils; the TCU gave 120 days to bring its funding into line with the budget[23]. And discretionary funding for federal universities, R$ 5.0 billion in 2024, remains below the R$ 5.5 billion of 2019[24].
Flávio
Flávio’s votes and plan
Flávio voted yes in both rounds on the Novo Fundeb, approved 79 to 0 in 2020, which raises the federal share from 10% to 23% by 2026[3]. In May 2020, during the pandemic, he cast the only vote against postponing the Enem: 75 to 1[25].
In 2023, challenging the renewal of the Quota Law, he asked: “Are there poor white people in Minas Gerais?”[26] His plan proposes childcare vouchers, more civic-military schools and moving higher education out of the MEC; for secondary education, only more technical courses[27]. Now he is on the ballot.
Share this page
An image with the main fact, in stories format, and the link to this page. To send the 6 images with their caption, use Share carousel.
References27 sources
- 01Inep · Censo da Educação Superior 2010Undergraduate enrolments: 3,520,627 in 2002 and 6,379,299 in 2010 (Table 2); 74.2% in the private sector in 2010.(opens in a new tab)
- 02Todos Pela Educação · Anuário Brasileiro da Educação Básica 2025MEC expenditure paid, in R$ billions at December 2024 prices (IPCA, Siafi): 185.4 (2017), 171.2 (2018), 164.6 (2019), 152.3 (2020), 151.9 (2021), 156.4 (2022), 172.6 (2023), 174.9 (2024).(opens in a new tab)
- 03Agência Senado · Senado aprova PEC do Fundeb, que será promulgada nesta quarta79 votes to 0 in both rounds; the federal share of Fundeb rises from 10% to 23% by 2026. Roll-call vote: Flávio Bolsonaro voted yes in both rounds.(opens in a new tab)
- 04Inep · Estimativa do Percentual do Investimento Público Direto em Educação em Relação ao Produto Interno Bruto (PIB), por Nível de Ensino - Brasil 2000-2021Federal, state and municipal governments: 4.06% of GDP in 2002 and 4.90% in 2010; 3.82% to 3.86% in 2003–2005; state and municipal data from Siope from 2006.(opens in a new tab)
- 05Inep · Indicadores educacionais compostos por: Taxa de Aprovação, SAEB e IDEB nos anos de 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 e 2019 e Projeções até 2021Brazil Ideb, early years: 3.8 (2005), 4.6 (2009), 5.9 (2019); later years 4.9 and secondary education 4.2 in 2019.(opens in a new tab)
- 06Inep · Ideb avança em todas as etapas da educação básicaIdeb 2025: 6.3, 5.3 and 4.5, “the highest values in the historical series that began in 2005” at all three stages.(opens in a new tab)
- 07Agência Pública · ProUni e novas universidades. Não é bem assim, Marcon!14 federal universities created under Lula and 4 under Dilma; some by separating existing units.(opens in a new tab)
- 08Planalto · Lei nº 11.096, de 13 de janeiro de 2005Establishes Programa Universidade para Todos (ProUni), with scholarships at private institutions.(opens in a new tab)
- 09JB · Lula participa de ato de inauguração simultânea de 31 escolas técnicas federais“The federal network has 354 schools in operation, of which 214 are part of the expansion program and 140 were created between 1909 and 2002.”(opens in a new tab)
- 10Planalto · Lei nº 11.494, de 20 de junho de 2007Regulates Fundeb, which funds basic education from childcare to secondary school.(opens in a new tab)
- 11Planalto · Lei nº 11.892, de 29 de dezembro de 2008Establishes the Federal Vocational Education Network and creates the Federal Institutes.(opens in a new tab)
- 12Planalto · Lei nº 11.738, de 16 de julho de 2008National minimum salary for public basic education teachers: R$ 950.00 (original wording).(opens in a new tab)
- 13Jornal de Brasília (Estadão) · MEC cortará verba de universidade por ‘balbúrdia’ e já mira UnB, UFF e UFBAWeintraub: “Universities that, instead of seeking to improve academic performance, are engaging in disorder will have their funding reduced”; 30% freeze.(opens in a new tab)
- 14Exame · MEC recua da decisão de punir universidades por ‘balbúrdia’The spending freeze was extended to all federal universities.(opens in a new tab)
- 15Exame · MEC liberará todo orçamento bloqueado de universidades federais“One hundred percent of the entire operating budget for federal universities and institutes” was unfrozen.(opens in a new tab)
- 16Poder360 · Com 3,1 milhões, Enem 2021 tem o menor número de participantes desde 20053.1 million applicants in 2021, compared with 5.1 million in 2019.(opens in a new tab)
- 17Congresso Nacional · Veto nº 10/2021Full veto of PL 3.477/2020, overturned on June 1, 2021 (Chamber 419 x 14; Senate 69 x 0); it became Law 14.172.(opens in a new tab)
- 18IstoÉ Dinheiro · Bolsonaro veta reajuste de verba para merenda escolarVeto of the Pnae increase in the LDO; R$ 0.36 per pupil in fundamental and secondary education.(opens in a new tab)
- 19Diário do Nordeste · Após 6 anos sem reajuste, Governo Federal anuncia aumento de até 39% no valor da merenda escolarFundamental and secondary education: from R$ 0.36 to R$ 0.50 per day; the previous revision was in February 2017.(opens in a new tab)
- 20Observatório da Alimentação Escolar · Congresso derruba veto e abre caminho para reajustar alimentação escolarCongress overturned Bolsonaro’s veto of the Pnae increase in the LDO on December 15, 2022.(opens in a new tab)
- 21Todos Pela Educação · Anuário Brasileiro da Educação Básica 2026General Government education expenditure (Cofog), % of GDP: 4.7 (2019), 4.1 (2021), 4.8 (2022), 4.9 (2023), 5.1 (2024).(opens in a new tab)
- 22Diário do Nordeste · Após 10 anos, Governo aumenta valor de bolsas de mestrado e doutorado; no Ceará 3 mil terão reajusteDoctoral stipends from R$ 2,200 to R$ 3,100 and master’s stipends from R$ 1,500 to R$ 2,100; “frozen since 2013”.(opens in a new tab)
- 23TCU · TCU dá prazo de 120 dias para governo federal adequar programa Pé-de-Meia ao orçamento3.9 million students, R$ 12.5 billion per year; 120 days to bring funding into line with budget rules.(opens in a new tab)
- 24O Tempo (Folhapress) · Com Lula, universidades federais têm orçamento menor do que com Temer e BolsonaroDiscretionary expenditure accrued, adjusted (SoU_Ciência): R$ 5.5 bn in 2019 and R$ 5.0 bn in 2024.(opens in a new tab)
- 25Agência Senado · Senado aprova adiamento do Enem 2020; matéria vai à Câmara75 votes to 1; “The only vote against postponement was Senator Flávio Bolsonaro’s”.(opens in a new tab)
- 26Jornal de Brasília (Folhapress) · Senado aprova Lei de Cotas em universidades até 2033 e inclui quilombolas“I ask here: are there poor white people in Minas Gerais? Are there poor white people in Amazonas?”, Flávio said while challenging the measure.(opens in a new tab)
- 27Agência Brasil · Flávio Bolsonaro propõe enxugar Estado e endurecer ações de segurançaVouchers for childcare fees, more civic-military schools, higher education moved to the MCTI; “There are no measures listed for secondary education”.(opens in a new tab)