Más Que Palabras (More Than Words): Chaos, Discourse, and Praxis in Ecuador's Early Childhood Policy

• In Event: Global Struggles Toward Educational Equity: International Policy Lessons and Challenges

Abstract

The Ecuadorian government’s lackluster implementation of its Early Childhood Education and Care (EECE) policies merits further scrutiny. Seeking to catalyze change, we explored the discourse surrounding ECCE in Ecuador, as represented in government (n=15), media documents (n=35), and social media posts (n=50), to unveil incongruencies between policy and reality. Utilizing Critical Policy Analysis and an ecological lens, our qualitative discourse analysis study, uncovered promising ECCE conceptualizations, contrasting the dissonances between propaganda and implemented policy. In a country shaped by political chaos, ecological warfare, and narco-violence, ECCE is not immune to these forces, as reflected by policymakers' stances and implementations. Findings and recommendations will be presented to the recently appointed Ecuadorian Minister of Education, to guide future policies.

Authors

• Maria Mavrides Calderon, Hunter College - CUNY

• Maria Dolores Lasso, Universidad San Francisco de Quito