Mapping of childhood education regulations from seven countries in Latin America

Abstract

This article presents the results of a partial exploratory study that has the objective of mapping the Childhood Education regulations of seven countries in Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Perú, Venezuela and Uruguay. Mapping how this right is regulated in Latin America can subsidize more concrete analysis of the brazilian reality and the region. Through a documental search in electronic pages from the Ministry of Education of each country and international institutions that focus on education. The laws and documents were read in full and the qualitative data extracted were grouped in themes that debate the conception of Childhood Education, the existence of mandatory enrollment and the initial training of teachers. The results appoint to variations in the way of regulating the right to education from birth to 6 years of age, with formal schooling actions generally being taken for children 4 years old and older. There is also variations in the existence of mandatory enrollment, again being more prevalent for children older than 4. There was little information, on the analysis carried out to date, about the financing. It is considered that regulations still need to advance, especially in regards to the allocation of public resources that are enough to ensure that all babies and children up to six years of age can have access to Education.

Keywords: public policies; Childhood Education; Latin America.