The federal government launched this Tuesday (14) the Pé de Meia Licenciaturas, a monthly scholarship of R$1,050 for undergraduate students who enroll in degree courses via the Unified Selection System (Sisu). Of this amount, the eligible student will be able to withdraw up to R$700 per month. The other R$350 will be deposited in a savings account and can be withdrawn after the newly graduated teacher joins a public education network and within five years after completing the course. The measure is part of the Mais Professores Program, which involves a series of actions to encourage and value teaching.
“This important program is to attract, stimulate and encourage people to enroll in degrees and stay”, stated the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana, during the program’s announcement ceremony, at Palácio do Planalto. Pé de Meia Licenciaturas reproduces the formula of the program of the same name designed to retain high school students in school, and which today reaches almost 4 million students.
In the case of the scholarship for undergraduate students, it should start to be valid from 2025, as per student registration at Sisu, which starts next Friday (17). Students eligible to receive the scholarship are those with a minimum score of 650 points on the National High School Exam (Enem) who enroll in a degree course recognized by the MEC. In total, there will be 12 thousand vacancies in this first stage and the first installment must be paid from April.
“In the last Enem, 19 thousand students above 650 points chose to do a degree. Only 5 thousand enrolled. And of these, the data shows that, over the years, half drop out. So, we want to practically triple the current number of entrants degree with Enem scores above 650 points”, the minister explained to journalists after the event.
R$2,100 for teachers
In addition to financial support for undergraduate students, the program provides for the Bolsa Mais Professores, with financial support for teachers in public basic education networks and which aims to increase operations in regions with a shortage of teachers, to a similar extent to the More Doctors Programwhich hires health professionals for underserved regions. The participant will receive a monthly scholarship worth R$2,100, plus the teaching salary, paid by the education network to which they are linked. Furthermore, during the scholarship period, the professor undertakes a lato sensu postgraduate course with a focus on teaching. The opening of applications for this scholarship is scheduled to begin in the second semester, following the adhesion of state and municipal education networks, through a notice that should be opened in the next few days.
“Those who teach on the outskirts of large cities in this country know that being a teacher is a risk. Being a teacher is a risk. Waiting for a bus late at night, taking a crowded bus in the morning, arriving at school knowing that the children are worried, many don’t even they had coffee at home. And, sometimes, a boy with violence, a boy who leaves the house fighting with his mother because he didn’t eat, because I don’t know, and will try to take out his anger on the teacher,” said President Lula. , during the announcement of the program.
“If we don’t motivate teachers to be a profession, I would say, promising, a profession that gives them the certainty that they are working for the benefit of people and that the State can help them through the municipality, through the State itself, that this teacher will not be harassed, will not be beaten. So, these are the things that we have to take care of and that we are doing here”, he added.
National Test
Another measure announced is the National Teaching Test (PND), created to improve the quality of training, encourage the holding of public competitions and induce an increase in the number of teachers in public education networks. The PND will be carried out annually by the National Institute of Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira (Inep), the same entity that carries out the Enem. States and municipalities will be able to use the PND in their teacher selection processes, replacing public competitions. Interested teachers register directly with Inep. The first PND is expected to be applied in November.
The Mais Professores Program also provides discounts on hotels, based on a partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and the Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry (ABIH), for teachers in public schools. The value of the discounts has not yet been detailed.
The MEC created a website with information about the program.
