BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT: CONTRASTS IN ACCESS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN THE FEDERAL DISTRICT^*

ABSTRACT:

The foundation of Brasilia occurred in the midst of utopias, especially that to overcome the Brazilian urban centers’ social problems. One of the strategies proposed by Anísio Teixeira was the presentation of an innovative educational project, based on unrestricted access to public education from pre-school to university. Contrasting the past and present, we sought to highlight aspects of inequalities in the new capital with a focus on Early Childhood Education, analyzing two moments in time: 1) events documented in the first years after the inauguration of the capital; and 2) contemporary data about income and access to Early Childhood education. We demonstrate that the social exclusion that characterizes the capital goes back to its inauguration and persists beyond the geographical divisions between the Pilot Plan and the other Administrative Regions of the Federal District. Inequality is also observed in the educational system, especially in Early Childhood Education.

Keywords:
Early Childhood Education; Social Inequality; Federal District.