Robert Mujica, the executive director of the Junta Fiscal, criticized the Department of Education on Wednesday for its budget and the governor's intention to increase pensions for those receiving less than $1,000. Mujica stated that the Department of Education continues to be a fiscal and public policy challenge, with federal funds granted after the COVID-19 pandemic set to expire and the government unable to fully replace them without significant sacrifices in other priority areas of the budget.
He emphasized the need to balance the Department of Education's budget around the real needs of Puerto Rico's children, rather than the needs of its administration. Mujica noted that the Secretary of Education had requested a significantly larger budget than assigned by the Office of Management and Budget for the current year, and that the Department of Education must live within its means like any other department.
He acknowledged that public education deserves attention and funding, but emphasized that it is one priority among many, including public safety, health, pensions, and other essential services that must also be adequately funded.