Incentivizing Youth in Brazil to Finish School with Municipal, State, and National Policy

Cities need to adapt to meet the needs of their citizens. This is especially important in the post-pandemic era, as governments receive vast funds to catalyze a successful and sustained recovery. Yet federal public policies, although theoretically impacting a larger number of people, do not always achieve the proposed scope in practice. Their effectiveness often relies on the responsiveness of political actors at the state and municipal levels, who tend to have a more acute understanding of the issues affecting the everyday lives of their constituents. On the other hand, municipal policy has the potential to be optimized and have broader impact at the national level.

This inextricable interplay between federal, state, and municipal policy supports the inclusion of the “Responsive” pillar in the Dynamic Cities Dashboard. The following case studies from the state of São Paulo and the municipality of Macaé in Rio de Janeiro state provide good examples of responsive policy implementation that furthermore supports educational gains and socioeconomic mobility.

What was the challenge?

Encouraging high school completion is particularly important in the Brazilian context. It is estimated that, over a lifetime, a young person loses out on making about $56,500 by not completing basic education. In high school, the repetition and dropout rates are particularly concerning, standing at 3.9% and 5.9%, respectively, according to the 2023 National School Census. Additionally, in 2021, only 65.1% of high school students completed their education within the expected three-year period. According to National Institute of Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira (Inep), in 2022, the high school dropout rate increased at all levels compared to the previous year. In municipal schools, the dropout rate reached 4% of students (compared to 2.9% in 2021), while in state schools, it rose to 6.6% (from 5.8% in 2021), and in federal schools, it increased to 2% (from 1.9% in 2021). This data highlights the urgent need to address the rising school dropout rates in Brazil.

Exacerbating the issue of school dropouts is the problem of menstrual dignity for young Brazilian women. According to UNICEF and data from the National Health Survey between 2013 and 2018, over 4 million girls aged 10 to 19 lack access to basic menstrual care products in schools. Alarmingly, 62% of the girls interviewed admitted to missing school or avoiding places of interest due to menstruation. The lack of adequate resources not only causes embarrassment but also forces the use of harmful alternatives. This issue is particularly prevalent among girls aged 15 to 17, leading to a higher dropout rate compared to boys, particularly affecting young women from low-income backgrounds in the poorest regions, where education is one of the few pathways to social mobility.

What action was taken?

The issue of menstrual dignity as part of a national public agenda has spurred various states and municipalities to address it. Congresswoman Tabata Amaral, in particular, has been a prominent advocate, passing a bill that establishes a National Menstrual Dignity Day in Brazil.

In the city of Macaé, Councilwoman Iza Vicente used this momentum to successfully pass a local Menstrual Dignity Promotion Program through Bill 4.766/21 in August 2021. The program provides free menstrual products to women and girls in vulnerable situations, indirectly tackling educational barriers that have resulted in 25% of girls missing school due to the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products.

Congresswoman Amaral has also championed education policies with even broader reach, directly aimed at reducing school dropout rates through financial incentives. The bill called “Pé-De-Meia” (or “Nest Egg” in English), authored and presented to the Chamber of Deputies by Congresswoman Amaral, targets schools nationwide administered by the federal government, and ultimately passed into law at the federal level in October 2021. The bill addresses high school dropout rates through a compensatory policy: if students attend 80% of their classes, they receive a monthly stipend of $40. This case illustrates how initiatives can be improved and adapted to different contexts by various politicians, particularly to benefit young people.

A similar compensatory public policy aimed at improving education is underway in São Paulo, where State Deputy Leonardo Siqueira adapted a federal initiative to the state level, aimed at encouraging students in Professional and Technical Education (EPT) to complete their training by offering scholarships. This project is especially relevant to the deputy’s focus area, as São Paulo has the highest number of enrollments in this type of education nationwide. Named “Talentos do Futuro” (“Talents of the Future” in English), the initiative’s goal is to motivate young people to continue their studies and professional development year after year.

What changed?

The challenge of improving education and economic mobility is a national one for most countries, including Brazil. Yet, these case studies show how state and local governments can maximize the impact of federal policies, just as the federal government can learn from effective municipal strategies.

In São Paulo state, State Deputy Siqueira’s implementation of Talentos do Futuro in a specific context will significantly impact the lives of thousands of people. Compared to young people who haven’t completed Professional and Technical Education, those with technical training are up to 7.6 percentage points more likely to find a job, and their salaries tend to be 18% higher.

In a reverse example, where municipal policy sets the standard for national adoption, Macaé is now addressing the troubling statistic that, in Brazil, 25% of women have missed school due to being unable to afford sanitary pads. It is expected that the focus on health plus education areas, particularly through Councilwoman Vicente’s program, will yield significant results,. Eespecially when considering that the affected group is women. Ensuring women’s continued presence in schools will ultimately contribute to the fight against the gender pay gap, which disproportionately affects them — in Brazil, women earn 19.4% less than men. Therefore, the impact at the municipal level is likely to be particularly significant.

Projects like these represent a significant step forward in strengthening robust public policies that address not just public health and education, but also the fight against social inequality based on gender, race, and socioeconomic status. They also demonstrate the power and impact of political leadership focused on responding to citizens’ needs, as shown by the three elected officials mentioned above. All are alumni of RenovaBR, Brazil’s leading organization dedicated to civic engagement and political renewal, which has trained 3,523 ordinary citizens and seen 196 outstanding politicians elected to local, state, and national positions.