Education in Fortaleza, Brazil: official figures
At the 2022 census 98.0% of children aged 6 to 14 in Fortaleza were attending school, the 78th lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities and the 939th lowest of Brazil's 5,570 municipalities (Brazil: 98.3%; Ceará state: 98.6%).
How many young children in Fortaleza attend pre-school or crèche?
87.9% of children aged 4 and 5 in Fortaleza attended pre-school or school in 2022 (the 159th lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities; Brazil: 86.7%), and 34.2% of children under 4 attended a crèche or school (the 153rd lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities; Brazil: 33.9%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the Ideb score of Fortaleza?
Public primary schools in Fortaleza scored 6.1 on the Ideb, the Ministry of Education's 0-10 index of pass rates and test results, for the early years (1st to 5th grade) in 2025, the 159th lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities (Brazil's public schools: 6.1). The score was 6.0 in 2023 and 6.2 in 2019.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education · saved copyHow do 5th-graders in Fortaleza do in the Saeb tests?
In 2025, 99.8% of pupils in the 1st to 5th grades of Fortaleza's public schools passed the school year (Brazil: 98.0%), and 5th-graders averaged 219.1 in mathematics and 219.5 in Portuguese on the national Saeb tests (Brazil: 227.4 and 215.1).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education · saved copyHow do public schools in Fortaleza score for 6th to 9th grade?
For the later years of primary school (6th to 9th grade), Fortaleza's public schools scored 5.2 on the 2025 Ideb, the 108th highest of 320 major Brazilian cities (Brazil's public schools: 5.0), against 5.2 in 2023.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education · saved copyAre city or state schools better in Fortaleza?
In the 6th to 9th grades, schools run by the city of Fortaleza scored 5.2 on the 2025 Ideb and schools run by Ceará state in the city scored 5.4.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education · saved copyHow Fortaleza compares with other cities in Brazil
Children aged 6-14 attending school (%) (2022)
Fortaleza ranks 243 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children aged 6-14 attending school (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 240 | Cabo de Santo Agostinho | 98.0% |
| 241 | Uruguaiana | 98.0% |
| 242 | Sarandi | 98.0% |
| 243 | Fortaleza | 98.0% |
| 244 | Porto Seguro | 98.0% |
| 245 | Mesquita | 98.0% |
| 246 | Teixeira de Freitas | 98.0% |
Children aged 4-5 attending pre-school or school (%) (2022)
Fortaleza ranks 162 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children aged 4-5 attending pre-school or school (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 159 | Ferraz de Vasconcelos | 88.1% |
| 160 | Vitória de Santo Antão | 88.0% |
| 161 | Cabo de Santo Agostinho | 88.0% |
| 162 | Fortaleza | 87.9% |
| 163 | Jataí | 87.9% |
| 164 | Itaguaí | 87.9% |
| 165 | Cabo Frio | 87.9% |
Young people aged 15-17 attending school (%) (2022)
Fortaleza ranks 227 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Young people aged 15-17 attending school (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 224 | Atibaia | 84.5% |
| 225 | Mogi Guaçu | 84.5% |
| 226 | Hortolândia | 84.5% |
| 227 | Fortaleza | 84.5% |
| 228 | Serra | 84.4% |
| 229 | Campinas | 84.3% |
| 230 | João Pessoa | 84.3% |
Ideb, public schools, 1st-5th grade (2025)
Fortaleza ranks 162 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Ideb, public schools, 1st-5th grade |
|---|---|---|
| 159 | Tubarão | 6.2 |
| 160 | Tangará da Serra | 6.2 |
| 161 | Paragominas | 6.2 |
| 162 | Fortaleza | 6.1 |
| 163 | Uberlândia | 6.1 |
| 164 | Ribeirão Preto | 6.1 |
| 165 | Cuiabá | 6.1 |
Ideb, public schools, 6th-9th grade (2025)
Fortaleza ranks 108 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Ideb, public schools, 6th-9th grade |
|---|---|---|
| 105 | Nova Serrana | 5.3 |
| 106 | Ourinhos | 5.3 |
| 107 | Rio de Janeiro | 5.2 |
| 108 | Fortaleza | 5.2 |
| 109 | Belo Horizonte | 5.2 |
| 110 | Aparecida de Goiânia | 5.2 |
| 111 | Serra | 5.2 |
More on Fortaleza: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Brazil
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education: Ideb 2025, primary school late years (6th-9th grade): pass rates, Saeb scores and Ideb 2005-2025 by municipality and school network (spreadsheet from the zip download), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0a54ddd30107…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education: Ideb 2025, primary school early years (1st-5th grade): pass rates, Saeb scores and Ideb 2005-2025 by municipality and school network (spreadsheet from the zip download), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e132cd0ab831…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE): Censo Demográfico 2022: gross school attendance rate by age group (0-3, 4-5, 6-14 and 15-17), Brazil, states and municipalities (SIDRA table 10056), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4966e323affd…)
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