Key facts
- Schools across Cuba reopened on Tuesday, marking the start of the new academic year.
- The country faces severe shortages of fuel, water, power, teachers, and school uniforms.
- Teacher coverage has dropped to 73% due to low salaries and emigration.
- Parents are now responsible for providing school meals and supplies, a new burden.
- The education minister described the school reopening as a "heroic act" amidst ongoing crises.
Schools across Cuba reopened on Tuesday, facing severe and persistent shortages of fuel, water, power, teachers, and uniforms. The Barroso family, for instance, had to use a borrowed horse to take their daughter to school after their own was stolen and killed for food, highlighting the lack of functioning school buses and transportation.
More than 10,000 schools were set to welcome an estimated 1.4 million children and over 135,000 teachers. However, the island's education minister, Naima Trujillo Barreto, acknowledged the ongoing challenges, referring to the reopening as a "heroic act." The previous school year was cut short by a month due to the crises, which have only worsened amid U.S. oil embargoes and sanctions.
A widespread lack of professors has led to teacher coverage falling to 73% across the island, with over 3,000 teachers relocated from eastern provinces to Havana. The minister appealed to university students, professionals, and retirees to help fill the vacancies, which are attributed to low salaries and emigration.
Parents and the private sector are expected to assist with school meals, as some schools reportedly have only a 15-day supply of food. School uniforms also remain largely unavailable, meeting just 12% of primary level demand. Trujillo Barreto cited a lack of electricity and fuel for fabric transport as key obstacles.
Parents like Yurima Izaguirre are facing new financial burdens, including the cost of school supplies and lunches, which were previously provided by the government. Many families are also dealing with daily power outages exceeding 20 hours, forcing them to rely on rechargeable fans and neighbors for electricity.