December 9, 2022
18:12
Ívina Garcia – from Amazon Agency
MANAUS – After the new blockade of December payments to federal universities, through Decree 11.269, announced on the 1st day of the month by the federal government, the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam) announced to be without funds to pay for water, electricity and outsourced contracts already provided for in the budget.
The Ministry of Education (MEC) reported that “zeroed the payment limit of discretionary spending Ministry of Education planned for the month of December”. In total, were blocked R $ 344 million in resources of federal universities across the country.
Representing a reduction of R$ 6,221,630.00 in the coffers of Ufam, added to the June cut, the total reaches R$ 13,582,419.02 in the budget of 2022. The university, through a note, said that if maintained, will affect the planning of 2023, which already has a forecast to be 20% lower.
In addition to basic accounts, the blockages also affect the teaching fellows, extension and research, and the daily rates for academic activities. According to Sylvio Pulga, rector of the university, if the blockages are not reversed, academic activities will be compromised.
“From now on, for example, if a student of ours need to go to Manacapuru to perform a research or teaching activity, the university has no way to afford the transportation costs as we did”, explained the rector.
The Ufam and other federal universities, affected by the barrier, try dialogue with the Ministry of Education. According to the director of the National Association of Directors of Higher Education Federal Institutions (Andifes), Ricardo Marcelo Fonseca, negotiations should reach a resolution.
“I asked the Undersecretary of Planning and Budget (SPO) and the Secretary of Higher Education (Sesu) that the R$ 300 million released to the MEC by Order SETO/ME 10.395, 6/12/2022 were returned to pay the most ‘dramatic’ expenses of universities”, said the director.
The president of Andifes, rector Ricardo Marcelo Fonseca (UFPR), and the vice president, rector Evandro Soares (UFMT), met on Wednesday, 7, with the Minister of the Civil House, Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI), to address the blockade.
“The Andifes will remain in permanent articulation with the government and parliamentarians in order to reverse the resource blockages that are making the end of the year unfeasible for the entire network of federal universities”, said the rector Ricardo Fonseca after the meeting.
Transition
The “December blackout” was predicted by former Minister Aloizio Mercadante, who coordinates the technical groups in the transition cabinet of the elected government Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT). In a meeting with the Minister of Education, Victor Godoy Veiga, on 5, the holder of the portfolio had already shown concern.
“I would say that we are in a very dramatic situation in Brazilian education. When I say that this government has broken the Brazilian State, that is what is happening”, said Mercadante.
Mercadante also said that with the new blockade, about 14 thousand resident doctors working in federal university hospitals, 100 thousand scholars in masters, doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships in Brazil and abroad and another 60 thousand in scholarships for teacher training are directly affected.
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