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Mathematics Education Will Never Be the Same: New MEC Decree Provides Funding, Training, and Clear Goals to Transform Learning in Brazil.
For years, mathematics education in Brazil has been one of the major weaknesses of basic education. The numbers don’t lie: millions of students finish elementary school without mastering simple concepts of logic and calculation. Now, with the new MEC decree, the federal government is trying to change this scenario with the National Commitment to All Mathematics, an initiative that promises to unite education networks, train teachers, and distribute resources to improve learning from end to end.
A Concerning Picture of Mathematics in Brazil
According to data from Pisa 2022, 73% of Brazilian students aged 15 showed insufficient performance in mathematics. This means that seven out of ten young people cannot solve basic everyday problems.
The result places the country well below the average of the OECD, behind Latin American neighbors like Chile and Uruguay.
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And the problem is not new. In Saeb 2023, a significant portion of students still appears at the lowest levels of proficiency.
According to a survey by Agência Brasil, more than half of Brazilian students in the 4th and 8th grades lack even the most basic understanding of the subject.
In addition, the 2023 School Census showed that a lack of infrastructure and teaching resources is still a daily obstacle for teachers and administrators.
These data help explain why the MEC decided to take action. “We are launching the Commitment to All Mathematics to support teacher training and boost learning in all education networks,” said Minister Camilo Santana during the 19th OBMEP ceremony in 2025.
What Changes with the New MEC Decree
The decree, published in the Official Gazette of the Union, establishes a national public policy to strengthen mathematics education in basic education.
The idea is to provide technical and financial support to networks that voluntarily join the program, with actions divided into five major axes.
1. Governance and Management: The Engine of Change
To ensure that the project functions on a national scale, the MEC created monitoring and support structures, such as the National Management Committee (Comat) and the National Anchoring Network (Renamat).
These bodies will coordinate policies, monitor results, and support states in implementing the actions.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Education, the objective is to integrate different networks, avoid duplications, and create governance capable of measuring the real impact of public policies on learning.
2. Training of Education Professionals
Teacher training is the heart of the National Commitment to All Mathematics. The MEC will offer courses and resources aimed at training teachers and administrators based on pedagogical evidence, prioritizing proven effective practices.
A review of the undergraduate courses in Pedagogy and Mathematics is also planned, with the aim of reinforcing both content mastery and teaching methodologies.
The goal is to transform how mathematics is taught, making it more practical, connected to students’ realities, and less abstract.
In March 2025, the ministry launched the National Listening of Teachers Who Teach Mathematics, a survey that gathered feedback from educators across the country to identify the main difficulties in teaching the subject. “We want to hear from those on the front lines, in the classroom,” said Camilo Santana to the press.
3. More Modern Curriculum and Pedagogical Resources
The decree proposes national guidelines for mathematics education, aligned with the Common National Curricular Base (BNCC).
This includes the provision of supplementary teaching materials, digital resources, and innovative methodologies that can facilitate curricular progression and make classes more dynamic.
The proposal also involves the integration of educational technologies, such as games and interactive platforms.
In 2024, for example, Porvir highlighted that schools using digital resources and collaborative practices have been able to increase student interest and improve performance in mathematics.
4. Continuous Assessment and Learning Goals
One of the strengths of the new decree is the creation of an integrated assessment system, which combines formative assessments carried out by the schools themselves and large-scale tests, such as the Saeb, administered by Inep.
This data will be used to set annual goals, measure student progress, and guide future public policies. The focus is not to punish, but to diagnose and adjust pedagogical strategies.
Starting in 2026, according to the MEC, these assessments will also be used to define which schools will receive priority financial support, based on performance indicators.
5. Recognition and Diffusion of Good Practices
Another interesting point of the program is the encouragement of the appreciation of good practices. Teachers, administrators, and schools that stand out may participate in pedagogical showcases, contests, and specific olympics for mathematics teachers.
The ministry wants to turn these successful experiences into replicable models. In addition, the OBMEP, organized by the IMPA, will continue to be one of the main showcases for recognizing talent and encouraging learning of the subject among young people.
Initial Budget Planned for the Program is R$ 70 Million in 2025
The participation of education networks in the Commitment to All Mathematics will be voluntary, but with clear benefits for those who join. The MEC will prioritize assistance based on three main criteria:
- The number of students with learning below the adequate level;
- The socioeconomic conditions and racial and gender diversity of the networks;
- The presence of students with special education needs and bilingual deaf education.
The initial budget planned for the program is R$ 70 million in 2025, with R$ 20 million allocated directly to schools via PDDE All Mathematics, and R$ 50 million coming from complementary programs such as Schools of Adolescence and Remediation of Learning.
According to the MEC, the resources will be applied to teacher training, purchase of educational materials, and promotion of literacy and mathematics clubs, aimed at the final years of elementary education.
The Expected Impact of the New MEC Decree in Classrooms
With the implementation of the new MEC decree, a real change in the school routine is expected. The goal is for teachers to have access to practical training and for schools to adopt more engaging methodologies.
According to teacher Kátia Smole from the Reúna Institute, the change needs to go beyond tests: “It is essential to work on understanding, reasoning, and the application of mathematics in real life. The student needs to understand the purpose of what they learn.”
In practice, this means that students should engage with more concrete challenges, such as financial logic problems, statistics, and reading graphs—skills useful both for the job market and everyday life.
Challenges That Still Need to Be Overcome
Although the decree represents an important advancement, there are considerable challenges ahead. Among them:
- Regional Inequality: not all education networks have the same technical capacity and structure to implement the program;
- Teacher Training: the process of updating and training is slow and depends on mass adherence;
- Funding: the initial amount may be insufficient to sustain long-term transformation;
- Assessment and Accountability: if poorly managed, assessments can turn into pressure instruments rather than improvement tools.
Experts like Mozart Neves Ramos, former Secretary of Education of Pernambuco, have already warned that “the success of any public policy in education depends on continuity and the involvement of local networks.” (Folha de S.Paulo)
A Step to Restore Confidence in Education
The National Commitment to All Mathematics is born as a direct response to Brazil’s historical failure in mathematics assessments. More than numbers, it is about rebuilding students’ confidence in their own capacity to learn.
The MEC bets on the combination of teacher training, technological resources, and collaborative governance to achieve lasting results. And, if applied correctly, the new MEC decree can usher in a new era for mathematics education, less focused on rote formulas and more directed towards reasoning, practice, and real understanding.
A Decree That Needs to Come to Life
The decree creating the National Commitment to All Mathematics is undoubtedly a milestone for Brazilian education. It represents an attempt to fix one of the biggest learning bottlenecks in the country, placing mathematics as a strategic priority.
But, like in any good equation, the result depends on the right variables: political will, efficient management, and engagement from teachers and students. Brazil needs this commitment to become practice—rather than just rhetoric.
And what do you think of this new MEC policy? Do you believe the decree will actually improve mathematics education in Brazil? Leave your opinion in the comments and share this publication so more people can learn about this initiative that can change the future of education.
No meu Instagram teresamaria.borges tenho várias postagens: vídeos, lives, divulgação de livros…voltadas para a aprendizagem matemática na Ed Infantil e Anos Inicias.
Na série “Enjoei estou reinventando” mostro como reaproveitar jogos conhecidos (Dominó, varetas, dados…) para construção de conceitos matemáticos.
Em outra serie: “”Coisas estranhas que falamos para as crianças nas aulas de Matemática” _ questiono, com uma pitada de humor, comportamentos pedagógicos que “mais complicam que ajudam” a aprendizagem das crianças.
Tenho mais de 40 anos como prof universitária, em cursos de Pedagogia e Licenciaturas.
O meu livro “ALFABETIZAÇÃO MATEMÁTICA _ do diagnóstico à intervenção” _ Ed. Clube de Autores e Amazon (livro impresso e e_book) tem como contribuir nesse projeto, em relação à formação de professores da Ed Infantil e Anos Iniciais.
A obra discute as possíveis causas das limitações na formação desses profissionais e apresenta, em cada capítulo, orientações para a avaliação diagnóstica da aprendizagem dos conteúdos matemáticos e acompanhadas de orientações pedagógicas que, de forma ludica e significativa, possam levar ao Letramento matemático e o prazer nessa área do conhecimento
Hoje sou gestor, mas já atuei como professor e também como professor formador de matemática no município que resido. E o maior desafio que posso destacar dentro desses ambientes que estive atuando é justamente a falta de aptidão que muitos professores tem com a matemática, uma boa parte nem é da área e só leciona por falta de opção. Mas de fato acredito que atravéz do esforço mútuo, políticas de incentivo, apoio familiar e claro o recurso chegando lá na ponta, que é onde importa. É possível sim, haver melhorias, mesmo que de maneira lenta, mas que no decorrer de alguns anos possam se tornar avanços significativos.
Ah meu caro, o seu município tem tantas variáveis que dificultam essa mudança. Não bastam bons formadores se o professor temporário (a grande maioria) era horista e ganhava R$670,00 por mês. Hoje sim o seu município tem melhorado um pouco mas não dá pra resolver todos os problemas em tão pouco tempo, ainda falta uma seleção mais séria com prova pra melhorar o pessoal disponível nos bancos, sem interferência de vereadores. Agora que vem se criando estruturas mais dignas nessas reformas nas escolas, agora que os professores temporários estão ganhando férias” mesmo trabalhando em julho mas ainda sem décimo, na lotação as vagas de matemática ainda são destinadas pra professores de ciências, ainda se tem muitos alunos com problemas de anos e anos de salas multisseriadas, dentre tantas outras variáveis.