Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
The official entrance age to pre-primary education in 2024 was 4 years old. The number of years of free pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks and the number of years of compulsory pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks are not available. For 2020, the net enrolment rate for pre-primary for both sexes was 25,19%.
Governance
The Ministry of Finance is responsible for formulating, approving, and executing the General State Budget (OGE), allocated at a decentralised level for pre-primary education.
Tuition-free status
Pre-primary education is not tuition free according to national laws.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Law No. 23/2021 (Local Government and Administrative Decentralisation Law) states in Article 41 that municipal bodies are responsible for participating in school network planning, managing educational facilities, investing in the construction, equipping, and maintenance of establishments, overseeing canteen management, supporting complementary educational activities, organising school transport, and coordinating with central administration to ensure the availability, storage, and distribution of school textbooks and teaching materials, among other tasks.
Decree-Law No. 34/2023, Article 50, states that public pre-school education establishments are funded through the budgets approved for the government departments responsible for pre-school education and local authorities.
2. Education resources to institutions
Decree-Law No. 34/2023 states in Article 4 that the pre-school education system promotes inclusive education. Article 50 specifies that the budget for public pre-school establishments includes funds for implementing school social action programmes, specifically school meals.
The government department must contract with private or cooperative pre-school establishments in the public service educational network when public establishments are unable to meet pre-school education needs, and this approach is more effective and suitable for the situation. In addition, private and cooperative educational establishments integrated into the public service educational network benefit from public financial support.
3. Education resources to students and families
According to the Law-Decree 06/2013, school social action services aim to support the most economically disadvantaged students through objective and transparent criteria of positive discrimination, in accordance with the law. These services include subsidised school meals, canteen services, school transport, accommodation, textbooks, school materials, and scholarships. The National Directorate for School Social Action (DNASE) is responsible for coordinating these measures and overseeing the implementation of the school meals and school transport programmes.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Decree-Law No. 18/2012 establishes the Conditional Support Grant Bolsa da Mãe (Mother's Grant) for economically vulnerable households with dependent children. Aimed at reducing poverty, the grant promotes attendance at compulsory basic education and access to primary health care by providing an allowance of US$5 per child per month, with a maximum of US$15 per household.
Decree-Law No. 22/2021 introduces two additional benefits, collectively called 'Bolsa da Mãe-Nova Geração' (New Generation Mother's Grant), designed to offer social support during pregnancy and early childhood, enhance maternal and child health and nutrition, promote economic inclusion, and stimulate the local economy. Special support is available for children with chronic illnesses or disabilities through increased allowances. Subsidy allocation is progressive, prioritising areas with the highest poverty and malnutrition rates. The child allowance will be implemented in phases, initially covering children up to two years of age and extending annually to include all children under six.
