Mudanças nos níveis educacionais e nutricionais nos municípios do Rio Grande do Sul: efeitos do Programa Bolsa Família

Abstract

Bolsa Família is a conditional income transfer program, created in 2003, with the aim of alleviating poverty. Its basic premise is that participants, in order to receive the established amount, comply with health and education conditions. However, the effects of the program on health and educational indicators are still diffuse. This discussion supported the objective of analyzing the influence of the program on health and education indicators in the municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul state, in the period from 2008 to 2021. Methodologically, panel data modeling was used to estimate three models, two with health indicators (vaccination coverage and nutritional status of eutrophic children aged 0 to 10 years old) and one with education (Education Development Index). As a result, the program transfers showed a negative relationship with vaccination coverage and a positive relationship with the nutritional status of eutrophy in children. As for the education indicator, the program's transfers were not sufficient to increase educational indicators, even with opposite results, while economic conditions are fundamental for improving health and education indices. This evidence allows us to consider that the program had a positive impact on the food security of beneficiary families, but it did not promote an improvement in vaccination or educational indicators, demonstrating that, although the program requires children to attend school, this condition is not enough to specifically improve educational indices. Therefore, it is concluded that, to improve social conditions and the effectiveness of the program, guaranteeing basic social rights and financial transfer is not enough, making it necessary to consider the multidimensional factors that ensure quality provision of health and educational infrastructure, through investments and transfers, as well as public policies aimed at the population in a stage of vulnerability.