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The past decade has witnessed an unprecedented surge in the emphasis given to the role of vocational education and training in Brazil. This has been characterized by an increasing flow of resources from the government to vocational education and training and a substantial increase in the number of enrollments. Particularly from 2011 onwards, with the launch of the PRONATEC program as one of the main flagship initiatives of President Dilma Roussefs government, VET has gained even more visibility.

The coverage of vocational education and training in Brazil is low, but it has an increasing trend. When compared to general education courses over time, the path is clear: VET education is gaining momentum, attracting more students that would otherwise follow a purely general track. Enrollment in VET courses still represents a small portion of total secondary education in Brazil but it has notably increased over the past years. The Federal governments spending on vocational education has risen from 0.04% of GDP in 2007 to around 0.2% of GDP in 2013. As a result, in 2007, 9% of total students enrolled in general secondary education were also enrolled in a VET program whereas in 2013, this number reached 17%. Regarding VET provision, although private institutions still enroll less students than public ones, their importance is far from negligible. Such institutions play an important role in VET in Brazil, with special attention to the so-called S System, which is privately managed but receive public funds through taxes over firms payrolls. The S System is responsible for the provision of approximately 43% of professional and technical …