Abstract

VASCONCELOS, Teresa. Educação de infância em Portugal: um edifício em construção. Revista da FAAEBA: Educação e Contemporaneidade [online]. 2009, vol.18, n.31, pp.195-206. ISSN 0104-7043.

Taking as a starting point that investing on early childhood education quality is an important strategy for a country, the efforts towards the expansion of the system of care and education for young children developed by the Portuguese government in late years will be described. Using a metaphor - a “construction site” -, the work developed will be described, from “foundations”, the “scaffolding”, the “plumb line”, without forgetting the “maintenance” of the building. Issues of equality of opportunity and equity defined in the legislation will be raised, bringing a critical evaluation, and suggesting strategic proposals for the “sustainability” of early education in Portugal.

Keywords : Early Childhood Education; Portugal; Expansion Policies; Metaphor of the Building.

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