(Prensa Latina) Key areas of education in Uruguay placed today their hopes in the Legislature for obtaining resources that were cut in the 2021 budget, which enters another week of discussion.
From the National Administration of Primary Education (ANEP) to the University of the Republic (Udelar) and the Technological University (UTEC) all their proposals for expenses considered vital were not taken by the Executive.
On the contrary, the announcement of the president of the nation, Luis Lacalle Pou, just before the presentation of the bill in the Chamber of Deputies, revealed the concept of fiscal adjustment, of an ‘almost zero’ increase in spending.
The only exceptions were limited to the amounts destined for early childhood support programs and the controversial creation of a trust to regularize settlements, financed from the reallocation of income from the National Colonization Institute.
ANEP was the institution that requested the largest reinforcement of funds, 31.8 million dollars to finance new works, extensions and building renovations of educational centers.
One of its members, Pablo Caggiani, said that the funds requested in the accountability are ‘absolutely insufficient’ since they ignore the negative effects brought by the pandemic in education, and salary improvements are not proposed due to the fall in purchasing power, about 18-day lost wages in 2020.
For the Udelar, despite its scientific importance, the budget fall is opposed, in turn, to the increase in the income of new students, 12 percent more compared to last year and the request for reinforcement for the sustainability of projects that are at critical risk.
The rector Rodrigo Arim pointed out among the effects the development in the Clinical Hospital teaching, programs for rapid resolution of breast cancer, post-Covid-19 rehabilitation, Outpatient Surgery Comprehensive Care of Stroke Unit, teaching improvement and the increase in scholarships.
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