De creche comunitária à UDI do bairro Dona Zulmira: os primeiros passos da educação infantil no município de Uberlândia/MG (1986-2002)

Abstract

This dissertation is the result of research conducted in the field of Education, specifically within the area of the History of Education, focusing on the History of Educational Institutions. It was developed in the Graduate Program in Education (PPGED/UFU), in the research line of History and Historiography of Education. The central objective was to investigate the process of creating a Community Daycare Center and its transition into a Child Development Unit (UDI) between 1986 and 2002. Based on memories and documents, the study sought to understand the meanings attributed to the first Early Childhood Education institutions aimed at children in situations of social vulnerability in the municipality of Uberlândia (MG). The chosen time frame begins in 1986, the year the Community Daycare Center was founded, extending to 1998, when the UDI model was consolidated. However, the period was expanded to 2002, the year in which the institution was officially transferred to the Municipal Department of Education (SME). This is a qualitative research study grounded in the theoretical perspective of Cultural History. The methodology of Oral History was employed, with semi-structured interviews, as well as document and bibliographic analysis. The historical sources used for the development of this research originated primarily from the archives of the EMEI Diretora Maristela Gomes de Souza, including photographs, official and administrative documents, in addition to legislation related to public policies for early childhood. The theoretical framework is supported by authors from the fields of History, Historiography, and the History of Education, whose theoretical-methodological contributions are essential for the historical analysis of educational institutions. Among them are Bloch (2001), Chartier (1988), Certeau (1982; 2012), Meihy (1996), Alberti (2013), Nosella and Buffa (2009), Faria Filho (1995), Viñao Frago and Escolano (2001), Vieira (1988, 2007), Kuhlmann Jr. (1991; 1998; 2000; 2001; 2019), Kramer (1992; 1995; 2000; 2002), Oliveira (2002) and Rosemberg (2002). The investigation addressed the following problem: How did the creation of the Community Daycare Center and its transition into the UDI of the Dona Zulmira neighborhood take place between 1986 and 2002, considering the context of educational public policies during this period? The results revealed that the Community Daycare Center was conceived and organized by the local community in 1986, operating in a rented building and serving children aged 0 to 6. Its administration was conducted by the Residents’ Association of Dona Zulmira Neighborhood (Ambazu), with funding from subsidies provided by the City Hall of Uberlândia through the Municipal Department of Labor and Social Action (SMTAS). Created under precarious conditions, the institution aimed to be more than a space for basic care, offering an educational and social environment. Over time, the organization and educational practices of the institution were adapted to the prevailing legislation, especially after the municipalization in 1995, which established a new model that ceased using the term “daycare” and adopted “Child Development Unit,” consolidating a more systematized organization guided by SMTAS directives. Furthermore, starting in 2002, the institution’s administration was officially transferred to the SME, contributing to the consolidation of the services provided, which came to be recognized for supporting children’s integral development. The institution was taking its first steps toward becoming an EMEI, integrating care and education in accordance with the guidelines established by the LDBEN no. 9.394/1996.