Fabiano Contarato is taking legal action against Bolsonaro's latest diversion of education funds to a secret budget.
The senator from the PT-ES party requested action from the TCU (Federal Court of Accounts) and stated that there is potential illegality in the education cuts from the 2022 Federal Budget.
Current Brazil Network - Senator Fabiano Contarato (PT-ES) filed a lawsuit in Federal Court this Friday (7) for the immediate suspension of the latest cut in resources from Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) government in the Ministry of Education's (MEC) budget. The measure also asks to prevent the Executive from carrying out new budget cuts. The parliamentarian also asked the Federal Court of Auditors to take action regarding potential illegality in education cuts from the 2022 General Budget of the Union.
This week, the Bolsonaro government announced a further cut of R$ 2,4 billion to the Ministry of Education (MEC) this year. Instead of universities, schools, basic and early childhood education, the funds benefit allied parliamentarians, in yet another maneuver of the so-called secret budget.
Contarato took into account the impact, calculated by the National Association of Directors of Federal Institutions of Higher Education (Andifes), on universities. University rectors estimate that the blocking of education funds to replenish the secret budget amounted to approximately R$ 1 billion, with R$ 328 million specifically taken from higher education.
If this amount is added to the budget cuts made throughout the year, it totals R$ 763 million. In other words, all the resources that universities need to maintain basic services for their operation have been cut. Including to finance the agreements of the president seeking re-election.
The situation is equally difficult in federal institutions that maintain vocational and technological training courses for the children of the working class. The National Council of Institutions of the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technical Education (Conif) also criticized the cut of R$ 147 million, which affects 1,5 million students and 80 professionals in the sector.
“The cuts and budget freezes promoted by the current government, which is the number one enemy of Education in Brazil, mean a paralysis of the activities of universities and institutes, responsible for the education of thousands of individuals, many of them without financial resources. The discontinuation of services provided by these institutions causes serious harm to the entire community,” said Contarato.
In the request for oversight, the senator asks for measures to be taken to address the risks of interruptions to regular teaching, research, and outreach activities. Furthermore, he requests that, should irregularities be found, the responsibilities of public officials be investigated and applied, and that measures be proposed to suspend the blocking of funds.
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