“Expectation is to resume dialogue” says Cabo Maciel about future readjustments in Education

Manaus (AM) – Re-elected four consecutive times to the state parliament with 35,853 votes, in the 2022 elections, Alcimar Maciel Pereira, Cabo Maciel (PL), is the interviewee of this week’s Com a Palavra. He commented on the salary readjustment for Amazonian education servants, the Youth Parliament Program and the Regulatory Framework for Rural and Riverside Education.

Cabo Maciel took over the Education Commission of the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas (Aleam) in 2023, after meeting with all parliamentarians of the 20th legislature. He held the position of Representative Director of the Recreation Guild of Corporals and Soldiers of the Military Police of Amazonas (PMAM), in Itacoatiara, and was president of the Association of Corporals Soldiers of the Police and Military Firefighter of the State of Amazonas.

To the In timethe chairman of the Education Commission of (Aleam) also commented on the support of parliamentarians for donations via PIX to former president Jair Bolsonaro, not considering it an illegal act. “This is a very personal matter for each one. I understand that each one acts as their conscience dictates and I do not judge, since it is not illegal.”

In time — As chairman of the Education Committee at Aleam, how do you view the decision approved in favor of the 8% salary adjustment for teachers?

Cape Maciel — When it comes to employee remuneration, we enter a very sensitive area, at the mercy of the interests involved, the expectations created, the possibilities and the reality that presents itself. In this sense, as President of the Education Commission and using the union experience I had as President of the Association of Corporals and Soldiers of the Military Police and Military Firefighters of Amazonas (PMBMAM), I tried for more than 80 days to act seeking the conciliation of the interests involved , always in debate with the unions and the teachers to try to help where they could.

On several occasions I received the directors and presidents of the Professional Association of Minors (ASPROM), the Association of Education Administrators of the State of Amazonas (AVANSEG) and the Union of Workers in Education of the State of Amazonas (Sinteam) to discuss the situation and mediate with the Government.

And when we talk about the 8% readjustment granted from March/23, I can say that it is not what the category wanted and expected, but I have the expectation that we will be able to resume the dialogue later on. With regard to my vote in favor of the Government’s proposal, I justify it by saying that I voted because I understand that there is a replacement of losses that may be partial, but it is still a replacement.

When I needed to take a stand against the Government in the proposal to freeze civil servants’ salaries for 2 years, during the pandemic, being Deputy Leader of the same government’s Bench, I voted against and made my position of Deputy Leader available to the Governor. And I say this to show that my vote is conscious and if I see an advantage for society, I vote in favor. But if I don’t see it, I vote against it!

During the meetings with the unions and teachers/administrators, I was able to learn a little more about the work carried out by education servants and I believe that we have the conditions and possibilities to advance in various points of interest in the category, including projects for the future.

ET — One of the Bills presented by you was about the measure that establishes the Multidisciplinary State Program for Preventing and Combating Violence in Schools. How can this project reduce violence rates, which are increasingly growing in schools?

Cape Maciel — The program, in fact, would add to the efforts already made by the State Government and by all the other competent bodies that already work in this direction, such as the Public Ministry, for example. We propose, through the program, to maintain a regular schedule, in which students would be throughout the entire school year in some kind of extracurricular activity or even within the transversal contents themselves.

The programs and other activities would be developed by technical professionals, such as psychologists and social workers, for example, trained to work on these issues related to combating violence at school and intra-family violence. In addition to these more didactic-pedagogical activities, I also proposed the insertion of protocols that would be ‘rehearsed’ in schools with teachers, other school employees, students and even the surrounding community, so that they would know how to act in an emergency situation such as an atack.

Despite the intelligence of the police and other agencies continuing to work to prevent these terrorist acts, we cannot guarantee that they will not be repeated, just look at the other attacks around the world, unfortunately. Therefore, the need to work with these protocols and, above all, to take care of the young people’s emotions.

ET — A bill was recently approved at Aleam, which reduces the calculation base for internal operations with aviation kerosene (QAV) and aviation gasoline (GAV). How do you see this measure and what impacts can it bring to the State?

Cape Maciel — I am a deputy from the interior and I am always traveling through the municipalities and I notice the lack of flights to these regions, due to the exclusion of routes and also due to the various cancellations of flights by companies, which greatly affect the lives of the population in the interior and also the advancement of tourism.

Aleam, when granting this law, sought to keep the road network in operation, subsidize prices and maintain flights. By ceasing to collect, the State began to grant this benefit to these companies in the expectation of improving the services provided to the Amazonian population, and it is up to all of us to supervise. I understand this benefit as an opportunity not only to make tickets cheaper, but also for these companies to provide a better service to the population and make the subsidy worthwhile.

ET — In one of your last actions, you participated in an activity of the Youth Parliament Program (PPJ) and will sponsor a young parliamentarian from Iranduba in this edition. What is the importance of inserting and bringing young people closer to public policies? What knowledge do you plan to share with the young person?

Cape Maciel — The Youth Parliament Program (PPJ) is already established as an important vehicle for the renewal of state and national policy. In addition to bringing young people closer to politics, this program familiarizes them with the work carried out in the Legislative Assembly. Even today, a former young parliamentarian works in my office.

Being on this four-term journey that, thank God, has enabled positive results for our people, I can say that I will try to pass on the main learnings that I had, because I believe that I continue to learn.

We talk about bills, amendments, work rites and so many other subjects, but what I try to pass on to these young people is the need to persevere and work to achieve their goals, always with respect for others and thinking about the greater good.

ET — In April, you filed the Request that indicates the creation of a Regulatory Framework for Rural and Riverside Education within the scope of the Escola da Floresta Project. How could the Regulatory Framework improve the quality of education in the interior of the Amazon?

Cape Maciel — This idea came up after a meeting at SEDUC, in which I was introduced to the formal project of Escolas da Floresta, by the State Government. Together with the technical team from the Education Commission, we went to do research and read about the pedagogy of alternation, which guarantees rural students a teaching period in schools and another period at home, where they have the opportunity to put into practice what they learn. As our situation is not the same as in the other states of the country, considering the particularities of our Amazon, the idea of ​​the indicative is that this concept be adapted to the reality of our riverside peoples within the sustainable development proposal of Escolas da Floresta.

As we cannot propose subjects for the curriculum, because it is a Federal competence, the regulatory framework emerged as a possibility to increase and direct to the real needs of the interior population of the State, even allowing the direction to areas in the academic formation that contribute to the development sustainable economic development of municipalities.

ET — What are the next projects you plan to institute aimed at education in the Amazon?

Cape Maciel — We recently presented a bill that intends to install Infirmaries in all schools of the state network, with this we could avoid the aggravation of possible accidents and create a greater network of care and support for children and young people.

In addition to the proposal for the Infirmaries, we also present a bill that establishes the Science, Technology and Innovation Week in public and private schools in the state network. If approved, the idea is to make topics related to science, technology and innovation known to everyone and also encourage children and young people to enter these areas.

In addition to these projects, I have always allocated my parliamentary amendments to schools and programs that serve children and adolescents, because I understand that education transforms and that everyone needs opportunity.

Today, if I reached this position, it was thanks to the support of my parents, who, despite the financial situation, always encouraged us to study, which is why I see the need to give back to society in some way, to contribute. It is always very rewarding to contribute to the education of our young people and to the advancement of our interior.

ET — In recent weeks, some of your parliamentary colleagues have declared support for donations via PIX to former President Jair Bolsonaro, do you consider this form of support valid?

Cape Maciel — This is a very personal matter for everyone. In the same way that I can choose to support a crowdfunding with a social purpose, for example, people are free to decide or not to support what is valid for them, after all they are exercising their freedom of expression and, still, spending the fruit of their own work. I understand that each one acts as their conscience dictates and I don’t judge, since it’s not illegal.

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