O acolhimento das crianças migrantes haitianas nos Centros Municipais de Educação Infantil em Toledo - PR

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the welcoming process of Haitian migrant children in the Municipal Centers for Early Childhood Education (CMEIs) in Toledo, Paraná. Given the significant increase in international migratory flows to Brazil, and specifically to Western Paraná, this research examines to what extent educational institutions are prepared for the integration of this population. The study adopts a qualitative, exploratory approach structured in three stages: a literature review; an analysis of data from official sources such as IBGE and INEP; and field research conducted through semi-structured interviews with public administrators, educators, and Haitian families. The selection of the schools for the field study was based on the areas with the highest concentration of Haitian children enrollments in the municipality. The results demonstrate that, although access to education is guaranteed, effective welcoming is hindered by a "normative vacuum" and a lack of specific institutional guidelines, which delegates the individual responsibility for managing intercultural complexities to educators. It was identified that the language barrier constitutes the most immediate obstacle, hindering the bond between school and family and full curricular integration. On the other hand, the teachers' affectivity and the children's rapid adaptation emerge as facilitators of the process. The analysis also shows that the distribution of migrants in Toledo - PR is concentrated in areas near industrial hubs, generating specific demands for the CMEIs in these regions. It is concluded that, despite the municipality's progress in seeking improvements, it is still necessary to advance in continuing education policies and pedagogical practices that do not merely "treat everyone as equals," but instead recognize and value different cultural identities within the school environment, requiring the implementation of structured public policies.