For 52 years, the Department of Education of Pernambuco was linked to the health department of the State. The disconnect between the two bodies and the consequent acquisition of autonomy of the SE came through Law 466, on 22 April 1949, during the administration of then Governor Alexandre José Barbosa Lima Sobrinho. The regulation of the Secretary of State for Education and Culture was approved by Decree No. 75, June 8, 1949. At that time, the first secretary, Silvio de Lira Rabelo, had assumed the folder for a month and a half. After the regulation, the Department had changed the nomenclature four times: - Decree 3197 of August 13, 1974 - approves the rules of the Department of Education and Culture; - Decree 15,717 of April 27, 1992 - approves the rules of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports; - Decree 18,594 of July 17, 1995 - approves the rules of the Department of Education and Sports; - Decree 21,682 of September 1, 1999 - approves the rules of the Department of Education to the present day.