Educação infantil na zona urbana de Santarém – Pará: um direito das crianças de zero a cinco anos de idade

Abstract

Early childhood education is a fundamental stage of human development, guaranteed by a set of legal frameworks, such as the Federal Constitution of 1988, the Statute of Children and Adolescents (ECA), the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education (LDB), the National Curricular Guidelines for Early Childhood Education and the National Education Plan (PNE). These provisions ensure universal, free and mandatory early childhood education, promoting an inclusive approach and the comprehensive development of children. However, the implementation of these policies faces practical challenges, such as the lack of vacancies for the initial stages of education, especially daycare centers, as well as the prioritization of enrollment of children aged 4 and 5, in accordance with Constitutional Amendment 59/2009, which may compromise the care of younger children, affecting equal access. In Santarém-PA, the number of places available in early childhood education institutions (CEMEI, UMEI and EMEIF) reveals a robust demand, especially for daycare centers, where the percentage of children aged 0 to 3 years old attended in 2023 was only 20.68%, well below the national target of 50% by 2024, established by the PNE. This discrepancy reflects structural and political challenges that compromise child development and support for families, especially working families, who depend on full-time education for children under 4 years old. On the other hand, preschool (4 to 5 years old) in Santarém serves 98.14% of children in this age group, demonstrating alignment with the PNE goals and progress in educational inclusion. Preschool is essential, as it provides a solid foundation for cognitive, emotional and social development, and is the first stage of basic education. However, the analysis also reveals variations between institutions in terms of service capacity, highlighting the need for adjustments and investments to ensure the provision of places in an equitable and inclusive manner, especially with regard to special education, which still serves a very small number of students.