In an initiative to celebrate the success of the Brazilian education system, the MEC (Ministry of Education) created the MEC Award for Brazilian Educationwhich recognizes the performance of students, schools and teaching networks.
In order to boost education in the country and meet the goals of the PNE (National Education Plan)the award is to reduce inequalities and disseminate good practices.
The 2025 prize delivery ceremony will take place next Monday (11) at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia. The award is intended to guarantee universal access to teaching, as well as students with great results in the National High School Exam (Enem).
The award categories
A divides into eight main categories, each with regional subcategories and by profile (school, municipality, state and student). The evaluation criteria are as follows:
Municipalities of each region that reach the highest rate of enrollment in day care centers may receive recognition, based on school census data 2024. A percentage of breed/color is required above 90%.
In this category, states, municipalities, the Federal District and public schools will be awarded the best results in children’s literacy. Criteria include the percentage of literate children, with a minimum participation of 90% in the evaluation of Inep’s literacy and the evaluation of at least 20 students.
- Initial and final years of elementary school:
The category is focused on states, municipalities, the Federal District and public schools with the best performance in the Basic Education Development Index (IDEB). A school, a municipality and a state of each region will be selected.
The award will include states, the Federal District and public schools that stand out in IDEB. The award will be granted to a state or the Federal District and a state school in each region.
- ENEM (National High School Exam):
The states, the Federal District and students of public schools will be awarded with the best performance and greater participation in the exam, according to the results of IDEB. The award will go to two students per state or Federal District, in addition to the State or Federal District with the highest percentage of participation in.
- Full -time education:
States, the Federal District and municipalities that expand the offer of full -time education, focusing on black and brown students will be laureate. The evaluation will be made based on the school census.
- Professional and Technological Education (EPT):
The award will be granted to states that expand the supply of high school integrated EPT, focusing on the percentage of black and brown enrollment, based on the school census from the previous year.
Regulation and PNE
According to Ordinance No. 564/2025, the INEP will be responsible for checking the criteria and defining the winners. The Ordinance also establishes the creation of monitoring mechanisms to ensure the update and effectiveness of the categories and selection criteria.
O National Education Plan (PNE) It is a law that guides education in Brazil for ten years, setting guidelines, objectives and goals to improve the quality of education. The current PNE, which would initially be valid until 2024, was extended until 2025. In 2024, the MEC sent a bill to the National Congress proposing the PNE for the next decade.
