After pressure, government unlocks about R$ 350 million from universities and federal institutes

The federal government went back this Thursday (1st) and unblocked about R$ 350 million from universities and federal institutes, according to sources from educational institutions.

Last Monday (28), the Ministry of Education (MEC) had announced the temporary cut after the Ministry of Economy blocked just over R$ 1.4 billion from the folder.

After the blockade, the federal universities stated that it would be impossible to keep many of the teaching units open, because there would be a lack of funds even for building maintenance and paying basic bills, such as water and electricity.

According to MEC interlocutors, at federal institutes the cuts could affect student assistance and basic maintenance of classrooms. With the announcement of the blocking of the budget, the pressure on social networks over the folder was great. What would have led the Ministry of Education to go back this Thursday.

After the release, also on social networks, the National Association of Directors of Federal Institutions of Higher Education (Andifes) celebrated the decision, but said that it “will remain attentive to the risks of new cuts and blockages and will maintain dialogue with all the actors necessary to the construction of the budget and policies necessary for the maintenance and fair financing of public higher education”.

There is still no information whether the other R$ 1 billion will be unlocked by the MEC or whether what was released to universities and institutes will have to be cut elsewhere. Sought by CNN Brasil, the ministry has not yet responded to the report’s questions.

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At the end of November, the federal government announced that it would block BRL 5.7 billion in non-mandatory spending in the General Budget of the Union for 2022 in all areas.

According to the Ministry of Economy, the contingency was made so that the government could pay R$ 2.3 billion more in Social Security and after the suspension of the provisional measure that postponed to 2023 the transfer of R$ 3.8 billion of aid for the cultural sector of the Aldir Blanc Act.