Cuba has reopened more than 10,000 schools, welcoming an estimated 1.4 million children and over 135,000 teachers, despite persistent and deepening shortages of fuel, water, power, teachers, and school uniforms. The start of the new academic year marks a significant challenge for the island nation, grappling with ongoing economic crises.
Education Minister Naima Trujillo Barreto described the reopening as a "heroic act" for a country where the free and universal education system, a hallmark of the 1959 revolution, is facing unprecedented strain. The previous school year concluded early in June due to escalating crises, which have since worsened amid a U.S. oil embargo and long-standing sanctions.
Parents are reporting significant difficulties. Leanete Barroso, a mother of two, stated, "This academic year has been the most disastrous one." Her family is currently using a borrowed horse and cart for transportation to school, as their own horse was recently stolen and killed for food. School buses are not operational due to fuel shortages.
The education system is experiencing a widespread lack of professors, with vacancies attributed to low salaries and emigration. The government has relocated over 3,000 teachers from eastern provinces to schools in Havana to address coverage gaps, which stand at 73% across the island. The minister has appealed to university students, professionals, and retirees to volunteer and help fill teaching positions.
Parents and the private sector are also expected to contribute to school meals, with some schools reporting only a 15-day supply of food. The availability of school uniforms has been severely limited, meeting only 12% of primary-level demand. The minister explained that the lack of electricity and fuel prevents the operation of workshops and the transportation of fabric, while financial constraints hinder imports.
Students are permitted to wear "comfortable clothing" but must still wear traditional red and blue kerchiefs. For families like Yurima Izaguirre's, acquiring new uniforms and shoes has been impossible due to surging costs. Izaguirre struggled to fit her youngest daughter into last year's uniform and was unable to find new ones for her two daughters. She also had to purchase school supplies for her three children for the first time, as the government could not provide them.
Concerns about providing daily lunches for children are also prevalent. Izaguirre plans to prepare affordable meals like pasta, tuna, and mayonnaise. With daily power outages often exceeding 20 hours, parents are equipping students with rechargeable fans. The extended vacation period also limited family activities, as fuel shortages restricted travel. Izaguirre, like many Cubans, is finding ways to cope, stating, "In my head, I think of doing 1,000 things, but I have to keep going for their sake."