The paradox of Brazilian educational investment: a comparative analysis of cost-per-student and human development from the OECD perspective (2024)

Abstract

This article analyzes the effectiveness of public funding for education in Brazil based on indicators from the OECD's 2024 global report. The study investigates the paradox between the percentage of Gross Domestic Product allocated to the sector and the low nominal per capita investment in basic education, which represents about one-third of the average in developed countries. Through a literature review grounded in human capital theories and the sociology of education, and a documentary analysis of comparative OECD data (2024), it examines how underfunding directly impacts teacher salary increases and higher education completion rates. The research shows that the structural funding deficit per student constitutes the main obstacle to increasing national productivity and overcoming the educational gap compared to global economies. It concludes that the transition to a system of excellence requires the country to prioritize the cost-per-student-quality ratio as a state strategy for sustainable human and economic development.