A survey of CNN based on data from the panel of the National Association of Directors of Federal Institutions of Higher Education (Andifes), showed that 88% federal colleges had millionaire losses after the most recent 7.2% cut in the budget made by the federal government.
In practice, the Ministry of Education blocked approximately R$ 1.6 billion, according to the ministry.
The analysis carried out took into account the budget of the 69 federal institutions located in the country. Most universities, according to the president of Andifes, Dean Marcus David, are experiencing a financial stranglehold. CNN contacted MEC about the problem pointed out by Andifes and is still awaiting a response.
The report of CNN also spoke with at least five federal institutions in Brazil. When questioned by CNN universities used expressions such as “critical situation” and “infeasibility of functioning” to describe the current financial situation of the segment.
With more than 100 years, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) is among the institutions with financial problems. The dean of the place, Denise Pires de Carvalho, pointed out that the money made available by the federal government should end in mid-August, at least four months before the end of the school year. According to her, the resources provided by the MEC have been frozen for ten years.
UFRJ, one of the oldest educational institutions in the country, currently has 55,000 undergraduate students and about 15,000 graduate students.
“UFRJ’s 2022 budget was R$329 million. With the relocation, the final value has a chance of falling to something around R$ 306 million. It is a budget far from what UFRJ needs. Remembering that, in the discussion of last year’s budget, UFRJ claimed, at least, the 2019 budget adjusted for inflation: the budget was around R$ 374 million”, said Denise Carvalho.
Also on budgetary issues, the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) highlighted in an official statement that it is witnessing a “financial infeasibility”.
In practice, the institution pointed to a loss of R$ 80 million between 2016 and 2022, taking into account the lag in the government transfer and the high inflation, which accumulates an increase of 36% in the period, according to the IBGE.
In the same vein, in response to CNN, the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) said that the budget readjustment made by the federal government “will compromise the functioning and maintenance of the institution, affecting the payment of bills and contracts in the areas of funding and infrastructure”.
The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) also criticized the current budget for investment and funding of institutions.
The institution located in the Midwest region of the country says that the cuts imposed to the budget “will compromise the operation and maintenance of the establishment” and says that with “the blockade of R$ 16 million, the UFMG budget will return to the levels of 2009” .
Representatives of Andifes warn that the new cut by the federal government will bring a financial loss of more than R$ 3 billion for the segment. According to the association, the MEC’s justification is the need to use the amount to readjust the salaries of the entire federal civil service by 5%.
Source: CNN Brasil
