The transfers to universities from the national government register in the first quarter of this year a decrease of 32% in real terms, as indicated by data on budget execution of the Argentine Association of Budget and Public Financial Administration (ASAP).
The information based on the expenditure accrued by the National Public Administration (APN) reveals that In March of this year, the National Treasury made transfers to the university for $193,574 million, a figure that in nominal terms is greater in 132.5% compared to last year, but deflated by inflation shows a 40% real drop.
If they are taken the first three months of the yearthe funds that the Government committed to the universities amounted $496,636 million, which implies a nominal increase of 150.7%, but a decrease of 32.5%. Although of them, paid 70% so far
The budget allocated this year to universities is $1.4 billion and until now just under 36% would be executedaccording to information from the Open Budget site.
Spending on universities It is part of the three most important current transfer items of the national State and as such, were affected by the Government’s adjustment policy.
“The Current Transfers showed a drop of 35.3% year-on-year, which is based on the reduction of those destined to the Provinces (-69.2%), to the Universities with a retraction of 40% and mainly, given their quantitative volume, in those aimed at the Private Sector (-22.2%) . The rest was reduced by 52.5%,” ASAP states in its report.
The current budget of the APN for all of 2024 is $54.7 billionof which the government has so far executed the 28%, about $15.3 billion. Of these, the planned expenditure for the entire year for the Ministry of Education is only $2.5 billion.
It must be taken into account that recently The Government expanded the current budget items by 36% through a decree of necessity and urgencysince otherwise the credits would have been exhausted in May.
The year started with a general spending of $40.2 billion, which are the same as those that closed 2023 of the budget previous extension, since this Government decided to discard the project that had left Sergio Massa which anticipated zero deficit.
In the case of Education, the initial budget was $2,477 billion and it was expanded by just $41,000 million. With the last modification, in comparative terms it increased by just 1.7% compared to the beginning of the year, 35 points less than the general average.
In the case of the National Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation, the Government started 2024 with an assigned budget of only $1,666 million and expanded it to $1,766 million, of which $694 million has been executed, which is equivalent to 40% of the items.
In ASAP they propose that The last expansion of spending of 36% that the Government made a couple of weeks ago is not going to be enough due to the inflationary context.
“It should be taken into account that this level of execution, added to the context of high inflation expected for the current year, reveals that In the coming months it will be necessary to expand the global expenditure budget again.”
Universities: the agreement announced by the Government
On Thursday the national government announced that it had reached an agreement with the Universities that implies an increase in the sending of funds of 140% for maintenance expenses. It is noted that allocations are increased by about $14 million per month.
The raise will be made in two sections, between March and May, and an extraordinary allocation was also made available to meet the needs of the university hospitals.
Through a statement, the government announced the agreement, agreed upon with the members of the National Interuniversity Council.
In addition, the Executive confirmed that “a meeting will be held at the Undersecretary of University Policies with the Executive Committee of the National Interuniversity Council (CIN) to talk about how we will advance the changes that society demands, at the same time that we commit to achieving a quality university education”.
The official announcement came lAfter the call for a mobilization, launched by the rectorates of the country’s public universities for next April 23, in defense of education and the university system.
Source: Ambito
