📋 Tender Overview
The Ministry of Education (MEC) published, this Wednesday, December 31st, Ordinance No. 930/2025, which regulates the Interest for Education program. Established by Decree No. 12,433/2025, the initiative aims to expand the offer of free places in technical courses, improve the infrastructure of schools and promote the continued training of education professionals. In return, the states, after joining, will have a reduction in the annual interest rates on their debts with the Union, in addition to access to the Federal Equalization Fund.
Interest for Education is part of the State Debt Payment Program (Propag), created by Complementary Law No. 212/2025, which allows states and the Federal District to renegotiate their debts with the Union and make investments in strategic areas, such as secondary-level technical professional education (EPTNM).
The ordinance clarifies the performance goals, the ways in which technical courses are offered and the monitoring and evaluation criteria, aligned with the National Education Plan (PNE) and the National Policy for Professional and Technological Education (PNEPT). The goals will be based on enrollments registered in the Basic Education School Census and will be weighted by population, according to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
According to the standard, states and the Federal District will be able to offer technical courses through different modalities, including in conjunction with professional learning and through training itineraries, respecting the National Curricular Guidelines for Professional and Technological Education. Enrollments considered valid for the purpose of meeting the goals must be registered in the National Professional and Technological Education Information System (Sistec).
The ordinance also establishes rules for the presentation of application plans, which must be sent annually by the states to the MECs Secretariat of Professional and Technological Education (Setec), detailing the expansion of the offer, the planned investments and the strategies for student access, retention and success.
With regard to investments, the text determines that, as long as performance targets are not achieved, at least 60% of the annual resources available to states under the State Debt Payment Program (Propag) must be applied exclusively to EPTNM actions. In exceptional, duly justified situations, a reduction in this percentage may be authorized, respecting the minimum of 30%.
The ordinance also establishes the Strategic Governance Committee of the Interest for Education Program, responsible for supporting, monitoring and monitoring the execution of actions, in addition to proposing guidelines and strategies for implementing the policy.
Monitoring and evaluation of the program will follow the guidelines of the National Professional and Technological Education Assessment System (Sinaept), with provision for continuous monitoring by the MEC and the states, in addition to the periodic publication of balance sheets and results reports.
Interest for Education - The program intends to encourage states to invest directly in offering new free places in technical courses integrated and concomitant to secondary education, including in the form of youth and adult education (EJA), and in subsequent technical courses. In addition to offering new vacancies, the MEC initiative will help prevent school dropouts; improve school infrastructure; promote the continued training of education professionals; bring education closer to the world of work; and value and expand EPT in the country.
Propag-Interest for Education is part of the Program for Full Payment of State Debts (Propag), designed to promote the review of the terms of the debts of the states and the Federal District with the Union. The initiative provides for discounts on interest and installments of the balance of debts over up to 30 years, with the possibility of extraordinary amortizations and reduction in the values of the installments in the first five years.
MEC Social Communication Advisory, with information from Setec
