Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Guatemala, the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) oversees the National Education System, which comprises the school education subsystem and the extracurricular or parallel education subsystem, covering both public and private institutions. Within public education, municipal schools are distinctive in that municipal corporations are responsible for contracting and paying teachers.
MINEDUC channels its budget to support students through teachers’ salaries, instructional materials, technology, support programmes, and the maintenance of public-school infrastructure. Departmental Directorates of Education act as decentralised bodies under the MINEDUC, adapting national policies to local conditions while planning, directing, and coordinating educational activities in each department.
The financing framework for education is established under the Economic and Financial Regime for National Education, in accordance with the National Education Act (Decree 12-91). It incorporates at least 35% of the State’s general budget, other constitutional allocations, and resources from donations, contributions, subsidies, and transfers from national and international entities. Complementing national funding, municipalities are legally required to contribute to local educational needs through the constitutional allocation of 10% of the national budget.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The constitutional allocation is the annual contribution of 10% of the national budget that municipalities receive under the Political Constitution of the Republic (art. 257). Municipalities must allocate at least 90 percent of this amount to programmes and projects in education, preventive health, infrastructure, and public services that enhance residents' quality of life.
The Secretariat of Planning and Programming of the Presidency (Segeplan) calculates this allocation based on technical criteria from the Municipal Code, including an equal amount to all municipalities (35%), each municipality's population (30%), reported income (25%), and the number of villages and hamlets (10%).
2. Education resources to schools
Before the 2012 decentralisation reform (Ministerial Agreement No. 3667-2012), the Ministry of Education managed most financial allocations directly from the central level. Funding was generally distributed using standard formulas based on enrolment figures, with few systematic adjustments to account for equity concerns or socio-economic disparities between regions or schools.
Now, the allocation, administration, and execution of financial resources for educational centres transferred these responsibilities to the Departmental Directorates of Education. These directorates, under the MINEDUC, allocate fundsto all public educational centres and manage resources dedicated exclusively to support services such as school feeding programmes, school supplies, teaching materials, free education initiatives, school renovations, and other related programmes funded by the MINEDUC.
Most funding for the Departmental Directorates comes directly from MINEDUC. The allocation of resources for service payments is guided by formulas established by the General Directorate of Community Participation and Support Services (DIGEPSA), which determines the criteria for the decentralised transfer of funds to each public educational centre. The General Directorate for the Coordination of Departmental Education Directorates (DIGECOR) serves as thelink between the Ministerial Office and the Departmental Directorates, ensuring coherence and oversight across all administrative levels.
Programa Nacional de Educación Alternativa—PRONEA (National Alternative Education Programme)
The National Alternative Education Programme (Programa Nacional de Educación Alternativa, PRONEA) was established under Ministerial Agreement No. 3852-2017 and is coordinated by the General Directorate of Extracurricular Education (DIGEEX). Its objective is to expand access to education for individuals who have not entered the school system, did not complete their formal education, or wish to continue their learning. The programme is open to participants residing in Guatemala and abroad.
PRONEA contributes to the expansion of educational coverage within the Subsystem of Extracurricular Education through semi-presential and distance learning modalities, with a focus on virtual or technology-based delivery. It offers programmes at the primary and middle-school levels, as well as education for work, all implemented with a territorial approach. In addition, PRONEA facilitates the accreditation and certification of studies completed abroad and the recognition of labour competencies acquired formally or through work experience, with particular emphasis on supporting migrants and returnees.
3. Education resources to students and families
Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
Established in 2007 and financed through the Departmental Directorates of Education, this programme provides financial assistance to learners with physical, hearing, or visual disabilities enrolled at the primary and lower secondary levels. It focuses on departments with the highest levels of poverty, social exclusion, and disability prevalence. The initiative aims to promote inclusion and ensure the continued participation of students with disabilities in the education system.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Programa Mi Bono Social (My Social Voucher)
Originally launched in 2008 as Mi Familia Progresa, the programme was renamed Mi Bono Seguro (My Safe Voucher) in 2012 and later Bono Social in 2020. It operates as a social protection mechanism providing regular cash transfers to families living in poverty or extreme poverty. Beneficiaries include households with children aged 0 to 15 years, pregnant women, and adolescent girls who are victims of sexual violence, including pregnant mothers aged 14 years or younger. The transfers are conditional upon compliance with co-responsibilities in health and education.
The programme is financed through budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Social Development within the national budget.
5. School meal programmes
On 19 October 2017, Decree 16-2017, known as the School Food Law, was enacted to guarantee school meals, promote health, and encourage healthy eating among children and adolescents in public and private schools. The law seeks to strengthen the learning process and develop lifelong healthy eating habits through food education and nutritional support during the school year. School meals are guided by principles of cultural, social, ethnic, and biological relevance, as well as gender equity, inclusion, and non-discrimination.
The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) is responsible for governing the School Feeding Programme, regulating, planning, and coordinating all related public and private activities, in collaboration with other ministries and institutions. The Departmental Directorates of Education manage the allocation and provision of resources for school meals, in accordance with the regulations of parent organisations.
The programme is financed through revenues from the single rate of the Value Added Tax for Peace (IVA-Paz) and other funds specifically designated for this purpose. Each year, MINEDUC works jointly with the Ministries of Public Health and Social Assistance and Agriculture, and with nutritionists, to compile a list of healthy foods and design culturally relevant menus that prioritise agricultural, livestock, forestry, aquaculture, and hydrobiological products essential for children and adolescents.
This profile was reviewed by Ana Sofía de la Cruz Padilla, Investigadora Educativa.
