Less than a month before the end of the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government, the Ministry of Economy has imposed strong budget cuts on Education, preventing Capes (Higher Education Staff Improvement Coordination) from paying research grants.
The hard blow was met with indignation by the scientific community. The largest share of the country’s researchers (master’s and doctoral students) manage to support themselves thanks to research scholarships, and without them there would be a blackout in Brazilian science.
The last of a series of cuts
What would you do if the company said it had no money and couldn’t pay its employees?
That’s what CAPES did with the 100,000 scholarships in the country after the Bolsonaro government cut their funding.#PagueMinhaBolsa #paguemminhabolsa
— Thiago S Gonçalves (@thiagosgbr) December 7, 2022
According to Capes, the new cuts made by the Ministry of Education prevented the scholarship payments scheduled for the last 7th Wednesday. The lack of money should also affect the administration of the party.
In total, R$208 million was frozen, of which R$244 million was allocated to federal institutes and public universities.
The MEC had already announced this week that it would not be able to pay the grants of approximately 14,000 doctors residing in the country. Assistantship is a type of specialization for physicians who want to receive practical training in hospitals and health centers.
I will present my work at one of Google’s biggest AI events.
An article, awards, the work of my master, who congratulated the government and spread it internationally.
Today I learned that Capes has no money to pay and I will not be paid this month.
– Roberta Duarte (@import_robs) December 7, 2022
The agency says in a note that it has requested the immediate release of necessary financial resources from the authorities and that scholars are already beginning to suffer from serious suffocation.
The Brazilian Association for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) also says in a note that the maneuver is perverse and hurts thousands of young professionals and students by cutting off and impeding academic and research activities.
Does Brazilian science live on donations only?
A large proportion of Brazilian scientists are professors, researchers, and PhD, master’s or specialist students, and much of the science is done in universities, especially public universities.
Only teachers receive a fixed salary. And although they guide the work, they are not generally the ones who get their hands dirty. When we enter a research laboratory in our country, we encounter postgraduate students doing doctorate or master’s degrees, or a post-doctoral researcher with a research scholarship.
Capes alone is responsible for paying more than 200,000 of these professionals working without holidays, Christmas bonuses or any other work entitlements. And without any other source of income, because scholarships in general have a special dedication clause.
The body is subordinate to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and shares the role of CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) linked to the Science, Technology and Innovations portfolio when it comes to funding Brazilian science.
Together, these two public institutions are responsible for funding the majority of Brazilian scholars. Added to these are the actions of state support foundations such as Fapesp in São Paulo. In Brazil, a small percentage of research money comes from private institutions
While the harsh working conditions and the state of being unrecognized were already questioned by Brazilian researchers, it has been pointed out that there has been no reorganization in the stock market values that have lost their purchasing power in recent years.
@felipeneto Help my friends here. More than 100,000 researchers without grants this month. Help give voice to the movement #PagueaMinhaBolsa pic.twitter.com/7LMudHe1dS
— Master Student Tired™ (@intheskywthrivo) December 7, 2022
Today, a graduate student receives a scholarship of R$1,500 from Capes or CNPq, a doctoral scholarship of R$2,220 and a postdoctoral fellowship of R$4,100 per month, much lower than what the market pays for professionals of the same level.
This is why scholarships are already viewed by the community as less than a living wage. However, students have to pay for personal expenses such as rent, as many have to move to cities where their research centers are located.
Business expenses are also taken into account. Research books, laboratory materials, memberships to scientific societies, publication fees or participation in congresses are some of the extra expenses that may come to the student’s account.
Valuing the human element is paramount above all that is needed to build a strong science. Countries like the United States, Germany, or Australia recognize graduate students as professionals, not students as in Brazil.
The lack of grants and delays in payments in recent years has already created a phenomenon of labor shortages and brain drain, prompting these professionals to seek better opportunities abroad. A complete cut in payments could be the world’s last shovel for national science.
Source: Tec Mundo
I am Bret Jackson, a professional journalist and author for Gadget Onus, where I specialize in writing about the gaming industry. With over 6 years of experience in my field, I have built up an extensive portfolio that ranges from reviews to interviews with top figures within the industry. My work has been featured on various news sites, providing readers with insightful analysis regarding the current state of gaming culture.
