Tuition fees at public universities: understand PEC 206

The disclosure of a proposed amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that provides for the charging of tuition at public universities has become the main subject of social networks in recent days. The PEC was on the agenda of the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Commission (CCJ) last Tuesday (24), but was postponed to this week.

Read more: Bolsonaro says he will not tax purchases made in apps

What does PEC 206/2019 propose?

The text of PEC 206/2019 amends article 206 of the Constitution and provides for the collection of tuition fees at federal universities, in order to pay debts such as water and energy, for example.

Regarding gratuity (which until then was assured to all students at public universities in Brazil), according to the PEC, it would only be maintained for students who do not have the socioeconomic conditions to pay the costs.

Procedure

If the PEC is admitted, it has merit to be analyzed by a special commission, which has the power to change the initial proposal, with a deadline of 40 sessions for voting. Subsequently, she goes to the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies.

As it is a PEC, approval requires favorable votes from 3/5 of the 308 deputies of the Chamber, that is, 185 votes, in two rounds. If approved, the proposal goes to the Senate and, with new approval, is enacted as a constitutional amendment. However, if there is any change in the text, the PEC returns to the Chamber.

What is the rationale for this proposal?

Federal deputy General Peternelli (União Brasil-SP) is the author of the proposal and, according to him, the change in gratuity must occur with based on the report A fair adjustment, proposed to increase the efficiency and equity of public spending in Brazil, made by the World Bank in 2017.

According to the report, Brazilian spending on public higher education students is much higher than that of countries like Spain and Italy, for example. Peternelli wrote that most students at public universities are graduates of private schools and, therefore, should pay tuition.

Repercussion of PEC 206

Entities such as the National Union of Students (UNE) and the National Association of Graduate Students (ANPG) expressed themselves on social networks with harsh criticism of the proposal. UNE recalled that public, free and quality education is a right guaranteed by the Constitution.

Deputy Sâmia Bomfim (SP), PSOL leader in the Chamber, also used social networks to refute the argument that supports the PEC. According to her, “the majority of students at federal universities are low-income”.