Bolsonaro’s government is the country that cuts the most in education and science spending

Since 1999 (the FHC-2 government), the largest cuts to the budgets of the Ministries of Education (MEC) and Science and Technology (MCT) occurred during the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL), according to a survey by the Brazilian Legislative Observatory. (OLB). MEC lost 20% of its resources, and MCT saw its budget shrink by 44%.

In 2022, the reduction of resources by the Ministry of Education has reached its maximum value, exceeding R$40 billion. Percentage reduction exceeds 20% Governments Dilma-2 (15%), Tamer (12%), FHC-2 (12%), Lula-1 (10%), Lula-2 (6%) and Dilma-2 (6 %).

The areas most affected by spending cuts were direct management and the National Fund for Education Development (FNDE). Other regions in the MEC experienced a significant increase in revenue cuts between 2021 and 2022, according to OLB. In heads, they have quadrupled, and in universities they have doubled. At MEC, the percentage of canceled expenses has increased over the past four years, and in 2022 it reached its highest share, with nearly 30% of its funds cut.

In the MCT, the values ​​of deducted revenue are lower when compared to the MEC and decreased from 2019 to 2022. However, the proportion of resources deducted compared to the total approved is higher in science and technology. In 2020, MCT had the largest share of cut values, 49%. In 2022, this figure, albeit lower, will reach 36%.

In previous governments, the reduction was 29% under Temer, 24% under Dilma-1 and Dilma-2, 20% under FHC, 16% under Lula-1 and 17% under Lula-2.

Within the MCT, over the past four years, the National Fund for Scientific Development (FNDC) and CNPq have been the two areas most affected by the funds cut. Between 2019 and 2020, FNDC lost more than 90% of its resources; In 2022, the region has lost 37%. CNPq, between 2020 and 2021, reached values ​​close to 70% of canceled prescriptions, and decreased to 40% in 2022.

The Brazilian Legislative Observatory (OLB) is headquartered in the Institute of Social and Political Studies (Iesp) of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Uerj).