This paper analyses the budgetary policies of the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) for the Federal Centres of Technological Education (CEFETs) and for the Federal Technical Schools (ETFs), in the context of the professional education reform regulated by the governmental decree no 2208/97. We used the National Annual Balance Sheets to show how, during President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's two terms (1995-1999 and 1999-2003) the Ministry of Education gradually reduced its funding of those institutions. All these budgetary reductions took place after the implementation of the macroeconomic adjustment policies, as the latter imposed severe restrictions on public expenditure in general, including that on the social area. These restrictions were put into practice in a context where the MEC started to play a stronger role in financing supplementary education. The Ministry's objective was to prioritise the universalization of elementary education, the main banner of President Cardoso's government. So, the Federal Government transferred significant amounts from its own budget to the states and municipalities through MEC. Thus, the adoption of the macroeconomic adjustments and the transfer of resources had a dramatic impact on the budget of the CEFETs and of the ETFs, leading to a systematic reduction of their running expenses.
budget; professional education; supplementary role; funding education
