Early childhood education (ECE) provision is becoming a growing priority. During the past
twenty years, Latin America has shown a growing recognition in the provision of educational
programs for young children, birth to age eight, is essential. Urban and rural populations
intimated in 2009, that many countries utilizing equitable access to quality early childhood
programs is often seen by policy makers as a means of achieving economic and political goals
(United Nations, 2012). Unfortunately, a pre-occupation with economic and political goals may
conflict with the provision of quality programming for young children. Chavez and McConnell
(2000) stated, “Early childhood education in Latin America has been fragmented, and in some
places nonexistent. In general, those that are able to afford it place their children in private
preschool programs or hire a staff person, servant, or babysitter to provide the daily custodial
care for the child”. (p. 159)