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)
In 2024, the official entrance age to pre-primary education was 3 years old. In 2024, the number of years of free pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks was and the number of years of compulsory pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks was 1. For 2023, the net enrolment rate for pre-primary for both sexes was 45,83%.
Governance
The Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) governs the national education system, establishing and evaluating policies aligned with national development. The General Directorate of Early Childhood Education manages early childhood education in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare and the National Secretariat for Children and Adolescents.
Departmental Directorates of Education oversee public and private institutions and implement policies at the departmental level.
Tuition-free status
Pre-primary education is tuition-free, according to laws and policies.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Article 148 of Law 1264 stipulates that priority must be given to the education of marginalised sectors, including rural communities, underserved urban areas, and border regions. Rather than distributing resources differentially to lower levels, the State addresses equity through compensation programmes, with educational authorities tasked with providing targeted support to groups and regions facing economic, demographic, and social disadvantages.
The educational budget allocated by the Ministry of Finance is divided into two main components. The first is the budget designated for the central level, specifically for the Ministry of Education, which accounts for the majority of expenditures. The second allocates resources to decentralised entities, including governorships and municipalities.
The National Fund for Public Investment and Development (FONACIDE) was established under Law No. 4758 and is financed through income received as compensation for the construction of the Itaipú and Yacyretá hydroelectric dams. Its resources are intended to support development initiatives, including those in the education sector. Some municipalities affected by the dam projects receive a higher proportion of funds than those that are not affected.
The budgets assigned to departmental and municipal governments are limited to infrastructure and school meal provision. According to Article 4 of FONACIDE, at least 50% of the income received by departmental and municipal governments must be allocated to educational infrastructure projects, while 30% must be directed to school lunch programmes for children in early and basic education. Article 12 establishes that its objective will be to finance programs for comprehensive early childhood care.
2. Education resources to institutions
In 2013, Law No. 5136 and its corresponding regulation, Decree No. 2837, were enacted to establish the framework for developing an inclusive educational model within the regular education system. Under this framework, attention is provided to students with specific educational support needs arising from physical, intellectual, auditory, visual, or psychosocial disabilities; specific learning disorders; high intellectual capacities; late incorporation into the education system; or other personal or educational circumstances requiring support or adjustments to foster their full development. For instance, Compensatory Educational Attention Services are provided in various settings for students in vulnerable situations, covering Early Education, Basic School Education, and High School Education as appropriate.
Additionally, there is an Early Childhood Education Programme, funded by the Fund for Excellence in Education and Research, which aims to enhance educational care for children from pregnancy to age 5. Implemented by the Ministry of Education and Culture, it seeks to improve both formal and non-formal educational offerings, promoting access to quality early childhood education based on rights, equity, and intersectoral coordination.
Low-income individuals are prioritised for admission to free public educational institutions, and when capacity is insufficient, the State funds placements in private schools through partial or full scholarships.
3. Education resources to students and families
The School Supplies Programme provides educational materials to all students enrolled in all levels and modalities of officially managed educational institutions, as well as to a proportion of students in state-subsidised private institutions.
The Student Ticket Programme offers a 50% fare reduction to students in kindergarten, elementary, and secondary education in both public and state-subsidised private institutions. This programme operates on a demand basis and has limited coverage.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
TEKOPORÃ, now TEKOPORÃ MBARETE, is a socio-family and community support programme combining social accompaniment by technical staff with conditional cash transfers. Created in 2012 and regulated by Resolution No. 563/2016, it aims to improve the quality of life of households by promoting access to food, health, and education services, strengthening social networks, and reducing the intergenerational transmission of poverty. The programme has nationwide coverage, prioritising the poorest districts based on the Geographic Prioritisation Index (IPG), and coordinates with local governments through Municipal Community Participation Committees (MPCs). It is part of the social protection system managed by the Ministry of Social Development (MDS), formerly the Social Action Secretariat, alongside Propais II and Ñopytyvo. In 2024, the average transfer under this initiative was from PYG 50,000 per person to PYG 100,000-281,000 for families.
TEKOPORÃ targets households facing poverty or vulnerability, particularly those including people with severe disabilities or members of Indigenous communities. Cash transfers are provided bimonthly to the household head or guardian, prioritising women, and consist of a fixed Bono Alimentario and a variable Bono Familiar, linked to the number of eligible household members such as children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with disabilities. Indigenous families receive a single consolidated payment.
Monitoring and evaluation occur in stages: after four years, the first evaluation assesses quality of life and areas for improvement; after six years, a second evaluation determines whether families can graduate or transition to other programmes; if vulnerability persists, participation may be extended for an additional two years, followed by a third evaluation. Families may remain in the programme for up to ten years and graduate once sustained improvements in living conditions are observed.
In 2023, the programme was restructured by the National Government (Decree 124/23), increasing payments by 25% to compensate for inflation.
