RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Brazil needs to invest an extra 225 billion reals (70.1 billion U.S. dollars) in public education to fulfill its own education plan, according to a report released on Tuesday.
Based on the amount Brazil invested in education in 2014, the Anisio Teixeira National Research Institute (INEP) reports that the country must invest an extra 54 billion reals (17 billion dollars) per year in the public education sector to meet the goals set in its education plan.
The National Education Plan (PNE), established in 2014 by the government of Dilma Rousseff, who was impeached from presidency in August, foresees a series of actions to improve Brazilian public education in 10 years.
The plan says the country should invest 7 percent of its GDP in public education by 2019. In addition, there are other goals related to the improvement of education infrastructure and teachers' working conditions, including wages.
In 2014, Brazil invested some 6 percent of its GDP in education, INEP said.
But an increase in investments in public education in Brazil hangs on balance, as a new constitutional amendment bill may restrict the increase in investments significantly over the next few years.
A bill approved in the House and currently awaiting for voting in the Senate foresees a spending cap on the Executive body.
If the bill is passed, government expenses, including investments in education, healthcare and housing, will only be allowed to increase by up to the inflation rate of the previous year for the next 20 years.