The Chamber of Basic Education (CEB) of the National Education Council (CNE) unanimously approved, at a meeting on Thursday, November 7, a resolution that updates the National Curriculum Guidelines for Secondary Education and establishes general guidelines for educational pathways, as required by Law No. 14,945/2024, which established the National Policy on Secondary Education.

The text addresses the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that should guide the provision of high school education; defines aspects of curriculum organization and delivery methods; and defines Basic General Education, specifying its credit hours and rules for its integration with educational pathways, including both advanced studies and vocational and technical education (EPT).

In addition, the resolution addresses the changes that are to be implemented in assessments at this educational level in the coming years—such as in the National Basic Education Assessment System (SAEB) and the National High School Exam (ENEM). The regulation establishes parameters for the development of educational proposals at each school and defines the concept of “Life Project” as a transdisciplinary strategy for student development.

According to Kátia Schweickardt, Secretary of Basic Education at the Ministry of Education (MEC), the document is the result of the participation and engagement of various civil society actors, state education departments, and state education councils. “The National Secondary Education Policy, as reflected in this resolution, recognizes the rights of all students, which includes acknowledging the inequalities that are exacerbated by intersectionality across Brazil’s diverse realities,” she stated.

Schweickardt explained that this was a critical element of the previous legislation: “Even though it included provisions that modernized secondary education policy, the old law was not the result of a collective discussion, as should happen in a democracy. It did not listen to many public school students, for whom it was not suitable, and they told us this; they told us they had no future prospects,” she pointed out. In this regard, the secretary mentioned the public consultation conducted by the Ministry of Education (MEC) at the beginning of the process of listening to society, which would culminate in the law establishing the policy.

Schweickardt also stated that the approved guidelines will impact the entire design of the MEC’s education policy. “We don’t want this policy to remain in limbo; it must be integrated with the entire basic education system—especially during transitions between educational stages—and then also connect with higher education and EFA, so that our citizens can follow a high-quality educational path. It was from this systemic and participatory perspective that we drafted a background document for the council members—a document grounded in the reality of the school systems—which the CNE could use as a basis for developing the guidelines,” he recalled.

Itineraries

The approved regulations established general parameters for the curriculum offerings, which will need to be supplemented with specific guidelines for each field of study. “This is not an endpoint, but a starting point. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, and the first step is to finalize the guidelines for the learning pathways, which will be established based on new consultations conducted by the CNE,” said Council Member César Callegari, the CEB’s rapporteur on the topic.

According to him, the resolution consolidated and expanded upon the provisions of Law No. 14,945. “We had a responsibility to deliver what Brazilian society demands, especially young people, who depend on a quality high school education—which is a right for everyone,” he argued.

Interdisciplinarity

For Council Member Gastão Vieira, who also served as rapporteur for the bill, one of the key advances of the approved guidelines is the emphasis on a “comprehensive and integrated education that provides contextualization and interdisciplinary approaches, without disregarding the epistemological and historical roots of each field of knowledge, while adapting to local realities and allowing schools to tailor their offerings within clear boundaries.”

Vieira explained that the board members, with technical guidance from experts, sought to ensure that the educational systems and schools had the tools to support students’ choices and the development of their life plans through objective guidelines. “We hope that, as a result, schools will be better able to help young people choose their paths and shape their futures after high school, whether in the workforce or in higher education.”

Implementation

In response to concerns raised by state departments of education, the resolution allows changes to the high school curriculum to take effect as early as 2025 or at the start of the 2026 school year, depending on the circumstances of each school system. To this end, the Ministry of Education (MEC) is training more than 200 specialists from all state departments of education, who will develop action plans for each region.

“We will deliver the policies that society demands, but we will also stand by society to help implement them, even when difficulties arise,” Secretary Schweickardt assured.

This position was reinforced by Councilor Callegari, who assured the CNE’s support for the education systems: “We have a responsibility to monitor the implementation of these guidelines, which will also help us to supplement and continuously improve them.”

Source: MEC Media Relations Office, with information from the Secretariat of Basic Education (SEB)

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