Implications of constitutional transfers on the quality of municipal education in the North and Northeast of Brazil

Abstract

The right to education is for all, and it is the role of the state to guarantee it with quality, even though the quality parameters are different for each individual. The Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988 determines minimum application percentages to ensure public resources to educational activities. It also provides resources to be used in education maintenance, such as the current Fund for Maintenance and Development of Basic Education (Fundeb). In this context, this study aimed to verify the influence of intergovernmental transfers and the values passed on to Fundeb on the education quality of municipalities of the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. A panel data regression model was used for the period 2007-2013. The results indicated that most intergovernmental transfers received by municipalities were positively related to educational development. In addition, there was a small but positive influence of Fundeb resources on the quality of education. However, the most important point was the significant contribution of the financial complement received by the Brazilian municipalities granted by the Fund. This result highlights the crucial assumption of minimizing regional diversity through this financial resource. Thus, the federal government´s financial complementation to Fundeb was important to equalize the divergences in the educational sector.