The Federal Police (PF) is carrying out this Friday (2) the “Aquarela” operation to fulfill 42 search and seizure warrants, issued by the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region, in six cities in Piauí and Timon, in Maranhão, against companies suspected of defrauding contracts with the Secretary of State for Education — Seduc, to perform educational services for young people and adults in that state’s program called PRO AJA.

The PF seeks to deepen investigations into irregularities in the execution of contracts and target 19 companies, public bodies and their respective legal representatives.

According to the police, these companies were hired with funds from precatories from the National Fund for the Development of Basic Education — Fundeb, to carry out the program, but they did not have the capacity to carry it out.

Furthermore, they would have subjected students to classes in inappropriate places such as at home, and with poor quality snacks, with crackers, water and salt with juice.

In addition, without supervision, it was possible to enroll ghost or dead students, and others who did not meet the program’s requirements in age or financial condition.

Those involved may be held liable for crimes of criminal association, misrepresentation, irregular use of public funds or income and fraud in the bidding process.

The name of the operation “Watercolor” is a painting technique where the addition of water to the paint produces light and casual colors, being related to methods used in the first years of schooling.

The association with the name of the operation is due to the fact that accredited companies adopt pedagogical material appropriate for children’s education for adult literacy.

In Note, the Secretary of State for Education of Piauí — Seduc informs that it is fully collaborating with the ongoing investigation by the Federal Police that investigates institutions/companies to provide educational services in the Youth and Adult Literacy Program.

Seduc emphasizes that PRO AJA has been carried out with great security, transparency and smoothness, complying with all the rules established by the law that instituted the program, and is fully available to the control bodies to clarify any questions, always aiming at transparency and the proper functioning of public administration.