Cuban Education Minister Acknowledges 11,000 Students Face Irregular Attendance; Half Without Uniforms

Just six weeks after Cuban Education Minister Naima Trujillo declared that the new school year would be "a grand celebration in Cuba," she admitted that around 11,000 students are engaging in virtual learning or attending school sporadically. Furthermore, she revealed that half of the prioritized student group remains without uniforms.

The comments, reported by EFE, highlight the decline of an education system that the regime continues to tout as a priority, despite demanding full in-person attendance amid power outages, fuel shortages, and a teacher deficit affecting 14% of the positions.

While the number of students with irregular attendance has decreased from 33,000 at the end of the previous school year, the issue persists. Thousands of children and teens rely on alternative education methods in a nation where power failures and supply shortages impact everything from transportation to meal preparation in schools.

In terms of teacher availability, the Ministry of Education started the academic year on September 1 with only 73% of positions filled. This figure has since increased to 86% through the re-employment of retired teachers, participation of university students in training, and professionals from other sectors stepping in.

A salary bonus was also approved for teachers taking on additional classes, though the minister admits this is not an ideal solution. "We wish we had the necessary teachers for every classroom," Trujillo stated.

Regions facing the most challenges include Havana, Matanzas, Sancti Spíritus, and Camagüey. In Camagüey alone, the school year began with nearly 3,000 teachers missing for over 95,000 students across 690 schools.

Low salaries are a significant factor in the teacher exodus. Education sector wages stand at 5,824 Cuban pesos monthly, roughly equivalent to seven dollars on the informal market. Trujillo candidly acknowledged this: "Indeed, income is a critical issue because sometimes we experience turnover due to salaries not meeting our professionals' needs."

The energy crisis directly impacts schools. The shortage of liquefied gas has forced some to resort to wood or charcoal for cooking, and fuel scarcity disrupts transportation for both students and staff. "It has been a challenging start, affecting cooking capabilities, supply chains, logistics, and transport," the minister noted.

Regarding uniforms, the school year began with only 12% coverage for the prioritized group due to operational issues in the textile industry. By mid-October, this figure rose to just 49%.

Authorities have relaxed the uniform requirement, allowing students to attend in other attire. "When it's not in uniform, school is for learning," the minister asserted.

While Trujillo attributed some challenges to U.S. sanctions, the structural problems of the Cuban economy—such as inflation, shortages, and loss of purchasing power—are primarily the result of decades of centralized management and internal regime policies, not the embargo.

The contrast with the official rhetoric from August is stark: the same minister had promised that September 1 would be "a grand celebration," while the Communist Party deemed the school year's start an "act of heroism," and Díaz-Canel denied any system collapse.

In May, UNESCO warned that Cuban education is "at risk" due to the energy crisis, with over 2,000 schools needing urgent support and more than 400,000 students having reduced school days.