Senate approves changes and extension of the Quota Law

The Senate approved this Tuesday (24) the project that amends the Quota Law for higher education. The project amends the Quota Law (Law 12,711, of 2012), which reserves at least 50% of places at federal universities and institutes for people who studied their entire secondary education in public schools. According to the standard, the racial distribution of vacancies occurs within this percentage, so that a black student who studied high school in a private school, for example, does not benefit.

PL 5,384/2020 provides that, among other changes, quota candidates will also compete for general vacancies, and only if they do not obtain a score for admission will they compete for reserved vacancies. The text also changes socioeconomic criteria, which take into account income and public school education; and identity, which consider race, ethnicity or disability for facilitated entry into federal higher education or technical secondary education establishments. The text now goes to presidential sanction.

The project, by deputy Maria do Rosário (PT-RS), was reported by senator Paulo Paim (PT-RS), who maintained the text approved in the Chamber of Deputies and rejected seven amendments presented in plenary to the proposition. Any change would cause the project to return to the Chamber, and the new quota policy could not be applied by the Ministry of Education from January 1, 2024, explained the rapporteur, informed the Senate Agency.

Proposal reduces maximum income for quotas and provides for evaluation of the program every 10 years

Currently, half of all places for public school students are guaranteed to families earning up to 1.5 minimum wages per person. According to the approved proposal, the maximum family income will be one minimum wage (which currently corresponds to R$1,320) per person.

Of the vacancies reserved for public school students, the selection process will observe the proportion of indigenous, black, mixed race and people with disabilities (PwD) in the Federation unit, according to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). If the project becomes law, quilombolas will also benefit.

The proposal also establishes an evaluation of the quota program every ten years, with the annual publication of a report on the retention and completion of the benefited students. Students who choose to reserve places who are in a socially vulnerable situation will also be prioritized in receiving student aid.

The project was approved with the opposing votes of senators Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), Cleitinho (Republicanos-MG), Magno Malta (PL-ES), Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE) and Rogério Marinho (PL-RN).