Congress will have 8 members on the education and science bench

The National Congress will have eight members on the education and science bench in its new composition. There will be seven representatives in the Chamber of Deputies and one in the Senate, all committed to defending agendas such as investment in scientific research and public universities.

The commitment to defend education and science for the reconstruction of the country was assumed by the group in July, during the meeting of the SBPC (Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science). On the occasion, seven pre-candidates for the Senate and 44 pre-candidates for the Chamber, among those aspiring to other public positions, signed a manifesto in which university autonomy, investment in education and the appreciation of professionals in the area, the increase in vacancies in technical courses and the strengthening of federal institutes, universities and research centers, among other points.

Of the 51 pre-candidates, 40 actually ran and seven were elected. Teresa Leitão (PT) will occupy a seat in the Senate, while Alice Portugal (PCdoB – BA), Ana Cristina de Lima Pimentel (PT – MG), Enio José Verri (PT – PR), Erika Jucá Kokay (PT – DF), Maria do Rosário (PT – RS), Pedro Uczai (PT – SC) and Rubens Otoni Gomide (PT – GO) will assume or resume seats in the Chamber.

Another 24 candidates obtained enough votes to be alternates, including Ricardo Galvão (Rede – SP), a physicist at USP and former director of the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) who was fired by the Bolsonaro government after announcing deforestation data in the Amazon, and Edward Madureira Brasil (PT – GO), professor and former dean at UFG (Federal University of Goiás) who articulated the movement of scientists.

“In fact, it is very important to have people in Congress who are favorable to science, education, health, culture, the environment and social inclusion. These are decisive guidelines for Brazil and we should focus on them intensively”, says former minister Renato Janine Ribeiro, president from SBPC. By its statute, the entity cannot sponsor candidates and did not support the signatories of the manifesto.

For him, the interest of researchers and professors in politics occurs because these professionals do not feel represented and because they have realized that doing research is not enough. In a context of fake news, it is necessary to convey the message, share important issues with society. Ribeiro cites, for example, the risk of cities like Rio, Santos and Olinda being submerged due to rising sea levels. “Many governments have been disregarding the environmental issue”, he criticizes.

“More science and more education are essential for the government because economic and social development depends on it”, says the former minister.

who was elected

Senate

Teresa Leitao (PT) – Pernambuco

The pedagogue began her career in the state education network in 1975 and, among other positions, was director of the
Union of Education Workers of Pernambuco.

Chamber

Alice Portugal (PCdoB) – Bahia

Elected with 124,358 votes (1.56%), the biochemical pharmaceutical formed at UFBA (Federal University of Bahia) goes to the 6th term in the Chamber of Deputies.

Ana Cristina de Lima Pimentel (PT) – Minas Gerais

Graduated in medicine from the UFJF (Federal University of Juiz de Fora), she has a master’s and doctorate in collective health. She was a professor at UFSJ (Federal University of São João del-Rei) and Health Secretary of Juiz de Fora. Elected with 72,698 votes (0.65%), she will occupy a seat in the Chamber of Deputies for the first time.

Enio José Verri (PT) – Paraná

Elected with 95,172 votes (1.55%), he is an economist and holds a master’s degree from UEM (State University of Maringá) and a doctorate from USP. He was professor of economics at UEM and State Secretary for Planning before his first term in the Chamber. He has been with the House since 2015.

Erika Jucá Kokay (PT) – Federal District

Graduated in psychology from UnB (University of Brasília), she made her career as a bank clerk at Caixa Econômica Federal. She was elected with 146,092 votes (9.06%) and will begin her third term in the Chamber.

Maria do Rosário (PT) – Rio Grande do Sul

Pedagogue (UFRGS) with a specialization in domestic violence (USP), she was a teacher in municipal and state schools before being elected councilor in Porto Alegre. She has been with the Chamber since 2003.

Pedro Uczai (PT) – Santa Catarina

The second most voted candidate for the Chamber of Deputies in Santa Catarina (173,531 votes, 4.36%), the former professor at Unochapecó (Community University of the Chapecó Region) was a state deputy and has held a seat in Brasília since 2011.

Rubens Otoni Gomide (PT) – Goiás

Lawyer, he was a state deputy and will start his sixth term in the Chamber of Deputies in February 2023.