The Ministry of Education (MEC) has released the results of the 2025 National Teacher Certification Exam (PND), a test that assesses the theoretical knowledge of undergraduate education students and professionals who wish to enter the public school system.

The report shows that 65% of participants reached the level considered proficient, scoring at least 50 points on the performance scale, which goes up to 100 points.

Administered by the Anísio Teixeira National Institute for Educational Studies and Research (Inep), the PND had 1,087,359 registered applicants and a 70% actual turnout on the day of the exam. Of the 760,118 participants who took the exam, approximately 492,000 met the minimum required standard and were deemed qualified to teach.

The figures have reignited discussions about the quality of teacher training in the country and the role of national assessment in improving public policies for the sector. In an interview with Conexão Bett, Barbara Born, the chief research officer at Todos Pela Educação, analyzed the potential impacts of the initiative and emphasized that the test results could contribute to a more accurate assessment of initial teacher training in Brazil.

According to her, however, the policy's success will depend on how the data is incorporated by school systems and training institutions. Watch the full interview:

Performance by evaluation area

Among the 17 subjects assessed in the 2025 edition, mathematics showed the poorest performance: only 45.9% of participants achieved the proficiency level. In total, more than 53,000 test-takers in this subject took the exam.

The humanities, meanwhile, posted the best results, with 80.2% of participants achieving proficiency. The education program, on the other hand, had a 62.8% pass rate, which was considered adequate.

During the announcement of the results, Education Minister Leonardo Barchini stated that the federal government intends to expand policies focused on initial and continuing teacher training, especially in the areas that presented the greatest challenges.

“We will take specific measures regarding initial teacher training. For the first time, we have results of this magnitude. With this level of detail, we will implement new policies and initiatives so that we can improve all aspects of teacher training in Brazil,” the minister said.

Candidate Profiles

The data also reveal differences among the participants' profiles. Among the 196,237 graduates of teacher-training programs who took the Enade for Teacher-Training Programs, 57.8% achieved a level considered proficient.

Among the more than 555,978 participants from the general public—comprising college graduates and education professionals seeking to enter the teaching profession—the proficiency rate reached 67.5%.

Use of the PND on public networks

In 2025, 1,530 public school districts voluntarily adopted the use of the test results, including 22 state school districts, 18 state capitals, and 1,490 other municipalities.

According to the Ministry of Education (MEC), 117 recruitment notices for public school teaching positions already stipulate the use of PND 2025 scores as a qualifying, eliminatory, or supplementary step. School systems have the autonomy to determine how to apply the results and may combine exam performance with practical tests, evaluation of qualifications, or training courses.

For 2026, the ministry has already confirmed that the evaluation will be expanded to 21 bachelor’s degree programs, with the inclusion of four new fields: theater, dance, natural sciences, and Spanish language and literature.

Source: Agência Brasil

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