| Ministry of Education | |
| Native Name: | Portuguese: Ministério da Educação |
| Agency Type: | Ministry |
| Jurisdiction: | Federal government of Brazil |
| Headquarters: | Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bloco L Brasília, Federal District |
| Budget: | $158.96 b BRL (2023)[1] |
| Chief1 Name: | Camilo Santana |
| Chief1 Position: | Minister |
| Chief2 Name: | Izolda Cela |
| Chief2 Position: | Executive-Secretary |
| Chief3 Name: | Kátia Schweickardt |
| Chief3 Position: | Secretary of Basic Education |
| Chief4 Name: | Denise Pires de Carvalho |
| Chief4 Position: | Secretary of Higher Education |
| Chief5 Name: | Getúlio Marques |
| Chief5 Position: | Secretary of Professional and Technological Education |
| Chief6 Name: | Helena Andery |
| Chief6 Position: | Secretary of Higher Education Regulation and Oversight |
| Chief7 Name: | Maurício Holanda Maia |
| Chief7 Position: | Secretary of Intersection Affairs with Education Systems |
| Chief8 Name: | Zara Figueiredo |
| Chief8 Position: | Secretary of Continuing Education, Literacy for Youth and Adults, Diversity and Inclusion |
| Chief9 Name: | Janaina Farias |
| Chief9 Position: | Secretary of Information Management, Innovation and Evaluation of Education Policies |
The Ministry of Education (Portuguese: Ministério da Educação), commonly known as MEC, originates from its previous name, the Ministry of Education and Culture (Portuguese: Ministério da Educação e Cultura), is a cabinet-level federal ministry of Brazil.
Its responsibilities include coordinating national education policies and managing daily affairs, covering from early childhood education to post-graduate levels.[2]
Before 1930, matters related to education were the responsibility of the National Department of Education (Portuguese: Departamento Nacional do Ensino), which was part of the Ministry of Justice at the time.
In 1930, as Getúlio Vargas took office as president, the Ministry of Education and Public Health (Portuguese: Ministério da Educação e Saúde Pública) was established, taking away education matters from the Ministry of Justice.
In 1953, the ministry was split into two: the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education and Culture (Portuguese: Ministério da Educação e Cultura, with the acronym MEC, which lasts to this day).
In 1985, during José Sarney's presidency, it was again split into two: the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Education.
In 1992, as Itamar Franco took office as president, sports were made part of the ministry again, which was subsequently renamed Ministry of Education and Sports (Portuguese: Ministério da Educação e do Desporto).
In 1995, during Fernando Henrique Cardoso's presidency, that was once again changed, separating the Ministry of Education from the then Ministry of Sports.
The incumbent Education Minister is senator Camilo Santana.[3]