The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a $99.2 million loan to strengthen early-childhood education in Joinville, a major municipality in Santa Catarina, Brazil. The funding forms part of a broader initiative to modernize social spending across the country and enhance institutional capacity to better serve citizens through improved planning and management of public resources.
The program will expand access to full-day early-childhood education by investing in resilient and universally accessible infrastructure. It also incorporates digital transformation and innovative teaching methods to improve classroom practices and learning outcomes. In addition, the initiative aims to increase access for migrant children and strengthen the local education system’s long-term planning and administrative capacity.
Joinville, the largest city in the state of Santa Catarina, is an important economic center in southern Brazil. While the municipality has achieved strong human development indicators due to industrial growth and economic diversification, disparities remain in access to quality education, particularly among vulnerable populations. The new investment seeks to address these gaps and promote inclusive educational opportunities.
The program is expected to directly benefit 19,500 new students, with 70% coming from disadvantaged communities. It will also support approximately 4,000 migrant children and enhance internet connectivity for an additional 30,000 students. The loan carries a 23.5-year repayment period with a seven-year grace period and is complemented by a $4 million grant from the IDB, reinforcing Brazil’s efforts to improve early education outcomes and social equity.
