Hundreds march in Rio to protest education federal funding cuts by Bolsonaro's administration

Wednesday, May 8th 2019 - 09:52 UTC

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Bolsonaro’s government sparked outrage last week when it revealed at least 30% cuts to the annual budgets of federally funded high schools and universities.

Hundreds of students and professors protested against public education funding cuts outside a military high school in Brazil where far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was attending a ceremony. Bolsonaro’s conservative government sparked outrage last week when it revealed at least 30% cuts to the annual budgets of federally funded high schools and universities.

Holding posters warning the reductions would leave Latin America’s biggest country “rich in ignorance,” protesters crowded outside the main entrance to the state-run Military College of Rio de Janeiro, forcing Bolsonaro to leave by a side exit.

Some former students of the military school made a heart sign with their hands as they paraded past the president, who was flanked by Vice President Hamilton Mourao — an ex-alumnus — Rio de Janeiro state Gov. Wilson Witzel and Mayor Marcelo Crivella.

But others gave Bolsonaro the thumbs-down signal in an apparent show of solidarity with the protesters outside.

State-run military colleges would not be affected by the funding cuts because they come under the defense ministry, not education, G1 news site said.

Bolsonaro said previously his government had been considering cutting public funds allocated to philosophy and sociology departments in universities.

“The goal is to focus on streams that generate an immediate return to the taxpayer, such as veterinary, engineering or medical studies,” he said.

Since assuming the presidency in January, Bolsonaro has been on an ideological campaign to promote his ultraconservative ideas and values, and to erase any trace of the 2003-2016 leftwing government Brazil had.

Categories: Economy, Politics, Brazil.

Tags: Bolsonaro cuts, Bolsonaro's administration, Brazil, education, education federal funding cuts, Jair Bolsonaro, Rio de Janeiro.

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Jack Bauer
I don't know to what extent some of the latest 'happenings' in Federal Universities has to do with it, although mentioned by the Minister of Education as one of the reasons to reduce funds of certain faculties - sociology, phylosophy - and what most of the media fails to report, is that in several Federal Universities, many students believe their time should be used partying, smoking pot (on campus), protesting and running around campus, naked....and even attending classes in the nude......how wonderful, is that how they think taxpayers' money should be used ? to keep a bunch of irresponsible idiots in clover ?

If they don't like the cuts, there's an even better solution : kick them out of University. If they can't respect the fact that they are the privileged ones, then they don't deserve the scholarships. Let someone else, who wants to study, be benefited by them.
May 08th, 2019 - 08:58 pm 0
DemonTree
Sounds like the reports were made expressly to soften people up to accept the funding cuts... you've said many times that Brazil ought to spend MORE on education. Even if some students are partying instead of working, cutting funding won't help. Throwing out anyone who fails their exams/gets bad grades would. And it excuses cutting money for schools even less; I daresay in reality it's a cost-saving measure.
May 08th, 2019 - 09:45 pm 0
:o))
Any politician true to his salt can justify ANYTHING!
May 09th, 2019 - 10:01 am 0

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