Determinants of efficiency in Brazilian federal professional Education institutions

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effects of the determinant factors of efficiency in the management of public resources applied in the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education in Brazil. The research sample comprises 40 federal institutions, in the period between 2009 and 2019, totaling 368 observations. Efficiency was estimated through data envelopment analysis. Subsequently, the factors that influence efficiency were identified through regression analysis. The results show that student/teacher ratio, school retention, financial aid, gender and manager training improve efficiency, while teacher qualification reduces it. Evidence shows that the effects of explanatory variables differ depending on the regions in which the institutions are located. The findings of this study allow questioning the process of allocation of public resources and the decision-making of managers to maximize efficiency in Education.