Plano municipal pela primeira infância de Fortaleza: uma avaliação em profundidade sobre as ações para a formação de professores na educação infantil

Abstract

This research conducts an in-depth evaluation of the actions aimed at early childhood teacher training outlined in the Fortaleza Municipal Plan for Early Childhood (PMPIF), based on the perspectives of public-school teachers. Acknowledging early childhood education as a constitutional right and a foundational stage of basic education, the study assumes that teacher training is a key factor in ensuring the effectiveness of this right. A qualitative approach is adopted, combining documentary analysis, a collective case study, semi-structured interviews with teachers from distinct territories of the city, and the application of a Likert scale to identify their conceptions of childhood. The research is grounded in the four analytical axes of In-Depth Evaluation: policy content, context of formulation, institutional trajectory, and temporal and territorial spectrum, as proposed by Rodrigues (2008). Data analysis, supported by Content Analysis (Bardin, 2011) and IRAMUTEQ software, reveals dissonance between legal frameworks and the concrete implementation of training initiatives. The findings highlight contradictions between planned actions and actual practices, particularly in territories marked by educational and infrastructural inequalities. Although continuous training is legally mandated, it is perceived by teachers as fragmented, contextually disconnected, and misaligned with real pedagogical challenges. Teachers’ narratives underscore the relevance of territory, the lack of responsive listening in training policies, and the persistence of normative models that devalue experiential knowledge. The evaluation underscores the need for public policies that regard teaching as an ethical, situated, and ongoing practice, recognizing educators as political subjects, not merely implementers of top- down directives. The study contributes to the field of public policy evaluation by linking theory and practice and by stressing the importance of aligning policy frameworks with the lived realities of early childhood education professionals.