Brazil’s Pé‑de‑Meia Program Marks 43% Drop in High School Dropout After Two Years

Overview

• At a Wednesday event in Fortaleza with President Lula, the Education Ministry reported dropout fell from 6.4% to 3.6%, with failures down 33% and age‑grade mismatch down about 27%.
• The program pays R$200 per month for maintaining school attendance and R$1,000 per approved year that stays in a savings account until graduation, plus an extra payment for taking the ENEM exam.
• Coverage has reached 5.6 million public high school students, equal to 54% of those enrolled, with R$18.6 billion disbursed across 2024 and 2025.
• State data show broad gains, including Bahia’s dropout falling to 6.5% with 566,616 beneficiaries and Amapá’s rate down to 3.8% with support reaching 74% of students.
• Students interviewed said the money helps pay household bills and study costs such as prep courses, materials, and a phone for schoolwork, which they say makes it easier to stay in class.