The blockade of 7.2% of the 2022 budget by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) will paralyze the activities of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) from October due to lack of financial resources. The measure affects several public services, from different sectors, offered to the Brazilian population.
UFRJ stated that the measure was “a real trick on the managers of public institutions of higher education, who returned to face-to-face teaching seeking to work in a planned way, despite the reduced funds that fall year after year”.
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According to the Dean of Planning, Development and Finance, Professor Eduardo Raupp, the cut in the budget, which has part used to pay for security, maintenance and cleaning contracts, electricity and sanitation services – puts the university in a dramatic situation. .
“This blockade takes from our budget something around R$ 25 million, which is equivalent to a month of operation. If the blockade is not reversed, it will be very difficult to keep the university fully operating”, said Raupp, adding that all payments are assured until the end of July.
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By contractual obligation, companies must give guarantees of maintenance of services up to 60 days after the last month paid.
“Until October, we were counting on honoring the commitments and we would manage the emergency cases in November and December. Now, the blockade is anticipating this scenario for August. So, September, October, November and December would be discovered. We estimate the impact of companies stopping between September and October. And, honestly, without the reversal of the blockade, it seems inevitable”, revealed the pro-rector.
choose policy
In the pro-rector’s point of view, this blockade is not just a result of a budgetary or financial problem, it is a political choice of the government. The action is surprising in a current context, in which, paradoxically, the collection is breaking records.
The parliamentary amendments and other areas that are of interest to the Executive are being preserved, but education, science and technology and health are being sacrificed, highlighted Raupp. He also said that the problem is not in the management of institutions.
“It’s not that we’re always asking for more and doing nothing. On the contrary, our budget has dropped a lot in real terms. lower than what we received 10 years ago, which, in real terms, was above 500 million”.
UFRJ hopes that with the help of public opinion and parliamentarians, institutions hope to reverse the blockade, which seems destined to be a shovel in public higher education and the development of science and technology.
Source: BdF Rio de Janeiro
Editing: Eduardo Miranda
