Brazilian university students, professors and employees will take to the streets Wednesday to protest against the federal education budget cuts that education minister Abraham Weintraub first announced two weeks ago. The protests will take place in capital and large cities throughout the country.
The protest’s main objective, according to organizers, is to show Brazilians the importance of universities in teaching, researching and providing services to society.
Organized by teacher unions and university employees, the protests will also likely bring together students and workers from public and private high school and elementary schools. Dozens of private schools in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and other states are planning to suspend classes on Wednesday.
The education ministry cut funding for all levels of education, from preschool until graduate school. The cuts will decrease funding for school construction, vocational training, research grants, and school transportation. In total, MEC will cut $R7.4 billion ($1.86 billion). This includes R$ 2 billion ($ 0.5 billion) for federal universities, representing 30% of the discretionary budget (which doesn’t include salaries, for example). This Tuesday (14), Weintraub said he wouldn’t rule out more education cuts, citing a slow economic growth forecast.
On the eve of the protests, center and left parties joined forces to defeat the government and summon Weintraub to the house to explain the cuts on Wednesday. Parties such as PP, MDB, PRB, We and PTB voted in favor of the summoning of the minister, who have to answer questions about cuts in education funding.
Scientists have also warned that the Bolsonaro government cuts to education will dramatically reduce research undertaken in the country.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon