Education Minister Says University Funding Could be Unblocked Next Month

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Minister of Education, Abraham Weintraub, said on Friday, August 16th, that the current situation points to the possibility that the universities’ contingency funds could be released as of September.

According to the minister, the passing of the welfare reform would provide a favorable environment for the economic upturn and, as a result, an increase in tax collection would lighten the burden on the government’s coffers, allowing the funds to be unblocked.

“From the very first moment we said that a contingency was not a cut, that we were going to manage a crisis that was inherited from past governments and that we expected that, if the welfare reform passed, we would probably already see unblocking in September. I’m just sticking to everything I’ve been saying for 120 days,” said Weintraub.

Partnership

The statement was made during a press conference by the Ministry of Education (MEC) about the agreement with higher education institutions in Portugal to accept the National High School Exam (ENEM) marks as an admission selection criterion for Brazilian students into their undergraduate courses.

ANDIFES

On Thursday, August 15th, the minister met with rectors of the Brazilian Association of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions (ANDIFES). Weintraub said that the transfer in the budget for universities and federal institutions would be reversed as of next month.

ANDIFES reported that the minister acknowledged that the country’s economic situation had required a suspension that had limited actions at the MEC and universities. “However, he also said that improved revenue collection in August, together with the payment of dividends by the federal government, will allow for an unblocking as of September,” stated ANDIFES in a note.

Blocking

In March, the government announced a suspension of funding for universities and federal education institutions in the amount of R$2 billion (US$500 million), almost 30 percent of the total annual budget. According to the minister, the blocking was required due to the reduction in the country’s growth forecast this year. The budget prepared last year foresaw a growth of 2.5 percent in the year, which has already been ruled out by the government. Besides, with the downturn in economic activity in the first half of the year, revenues were reduced.