After the federal institutes of education received the news from the federal government of a 12% cut in the 2023 budget, it was the turn of the federal universities.
According to the National Association of Directors of Federal Higher Education Institutions (Andifes), the expectation is that the funds intended for funding will fall to R$ 4.7 billion next year, R$ 600 million less than in 2021, in values without inflation adjustment.
The president of Andifes, Marcus Vinicius David, who is also the dean of the UFJF, points out that the effect is even greater when considering the rise in prices.
“If we think about the inflation of food, energy, fuel, everything expanding and the budget falling. We’ve already reduced as much as we could. As still in the middle of a pandemic, will I reduce cleaning? At a time when the population is suffering so much from the economy, am I going to cut university restaurant? It’s a very serious thing,” he said. CNN .
THE CNN sought a position from the Ministry of Education and awaits a return. Andifes data that consider the budget approved annually for federal institutions, with the IPCA corrected, show that, in 2000, they had R$ 2.2 billion for funding, a number that dropped to R$ 1.8 billion in 2001, reaching R$ 1.7 billion in 2022 and 2003.
Between 2004 and 2011, resources grew and reached R$ 11 billion. In 2012, the budget dropped to R$10 billion, rising again between 2013 and 2015, when it reached R$12 billion.
As of 2016, there was a reduction, reaching R$ 7.4 billion in 2019. In 2020, it dropped to R$ 6.4 billion, R$ 4.9 billion the following year, in 2022, it achieved a recomposition, with R$ $5.4 billion.
The cuts affect everything from the payment of water and electricity contracts to scholarship programs and laboratory equipment. UFRJ, for example, which has 55,000 students, reported that it only has money to pay the bills until August.
For the president of Andifes, the current total is unfeasible to make the campuses work. According to the 2020 Higher Education Census, Brazil has 1.9 million students in public universities.
“It is proof of a fictitious budget, which is not concerned with guaranteeing the functioning of State structures. What Congress will vote on is unrealistic and does not guarantee it will work. We are experiencing a very serious situation, making the system of federal public universities unfeasible,” he declared.
In addition to worrying about the 2023 budget, Andifes is working to recover the 7% contingent this year. In relation to the next year, he is trying to negotiate with the federal government and foresees the mobilization of parliamentarians when the bill goes to Congress. David points out that the final vote will only take place after the October elections.
Federal institutes move
This Wednesday (6), 41 rectors of the federal institutes and Cefets, which form the federal technical and scientific network, which serves from basic to higher education, went to Brasília to mobilize against the 12% reduction in the 2023 budget and the this year’s contingency.
They were received by the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP), who promised to seek negotiations with the Ministries of Education and Economy, in addition to the National Fund for the Development of Education.
The group was with more than 60 parliamentarians, such as this year’s budget rapporteurs, federal deputy Hugo Leal (PSD), and next year, senator Marcelo Castro (MDB).
Updated calculations from the National Council of Institutions of the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education (CONIF) indicate that the loss could reach R$ 307 million.
In 2021, the approved budget, without contingency, was R$ 2.4 billion. For the entity, the resources needed for the basics in the federal network would be R$ 3.2 billion. With the fall, among the impacts is the cut in the program for hiring professionals to monitor students with disabilities and investments.
The president of Conif, Claudio Alex Rocha, dean of the IFPA, points out that the meetings this Wednesday were fruitful in the search for solutions for education in the country.
Questioned by CNN on the reduction of funds for federal institutes, the MEC reported that “the 2023 Budget Law Project is still being prepared and, consequently, has not been sent to the National Congress. For that reason, there may still be changes that impact the budget.”
Conif data show that, between 2012 and 2022, the number of campuses in the federal technological network jumped from 408 to more than 600. The budget did not follow the same pace.
Between 2012 and 2015, it rose from R$1.7 billion to R$2.8 billion. In 2016, it suffered the first cut and fell to R$ 2.5 billion, reducing even more in 2017, when it reached R$ 2.1 billion. In 2018, it rose to BRL 2.2 billion, was around BRL 2.3 billion in 2019 and 2020, but fell to BRL 1.9 billion in 2021.
Source: CNN Brasil
