Despite the fact that in Brazil, in the last 15 years, secondary education is the educational level with the highest relative increase in student numbers (232%), there is still an almost total lack of studies attempting to analyse governmental funding for this educational level. This is particularly surprising when one considers that the highest percentage of growth occurred in the public sector, with a huge impact on government's expenditure on education. In this article, therefore, we intend to offer an overview of the subject. Initially, with the help of Inep's and IBGE's figures, we present and analyse the indicators of expenditure per student in the state schools, comparing the differences between the country's administrative divisions and various regions. Next, we present the main findings of a cost-per-student survey done by the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC). Finally, we estimate the financial resources that would be necessary to guarantee a higher standard of teaching in accordance with the quantitative and qualitative aims established by the National Education Plan (PNE).
secondary education; financing secondary education; cost per student in the secondary schools; cost per student; National Education Plan
