Data shows a 33% drop in federal government investment in the construction of daycare centers and preschools and improvements to the infrastructure of the early childhood education network. Based on the National Fund for Education Development (FNDE) and the Ministry of Education (MEC).
In 2019, R$ 307.8 million was transferred to city halls across the country, which represents a drop of 33% when compared to the R$ 457.9 million transferred by the MEC agency to Brazilian municipalities in 2018.
Brazil has 1,085 daycare and preschool projects halted and the lowest allocation of funds since 2009. In other words, federal government investment is the lowest in the last 10 years.
When contacted, the Ministry of Education and Development (MEC) and the National Development Fund (FNDE) did not comment on the matter.
The numbers represent a significant drop in transfers from Proinfância, the National Program for Restructuring and Acquisition of Equipment for the Public Early Childhood Education School Network, from 2015 onwards.
Olavo Nogueira Filho, director of Educational Policies at Todos Pela Educação, also highlights:
"The earlier this investment is made, the better the return in the coming years and in the future lives of children and young people. That's why it's such an important and central investment, and this issue needs to be at the top of the country's government agenda."
Works stopped
According to the latest update from Simec, a database maintained by FNDE, 830 projects across the country carried out with FNDE funds are at a standstill.
19 in the state of São Paulo, four of which are in Guarulhos. When contacted, the city hall of the city in the São Paulo metropolitan region said it was in the process of a bidding process to complete the works.
One of the objectives of goal 1 of the National Education Plan (PNE) is for the country to serve 50% of children under 3 years and 11 months in daycare by 2024.
In 2018, the most up-to-date data from Todos Pela Educação showed that 35.7% of children under 3 years and 11 months attended daycare.