As the 2026-2027 school year gets underway, Las Tunas faces a significant educator shortage with over 800 teaching positions unfilled, resulting in a classroom coverage of only 90% to 92%. In response, local authorities are turning to pedagogy students and workers from other sectors to keep educational services running.
The most severe shortages are found in middle schools, where the absence of a single teacher can leave an entire subject untaught due to the specialized nature of the curriculum, according to an official report from the state-run newspaper 26.
Municipal Variations in Teacher Shortage
Municipalities such as Jesús Menéndez, Puerto Padre, and Las Tunas are experiencing the most acute issues, whereas Amancio remains somewhat stable. Meanwhile, Jobabo, Colombia, and Manatí also report deficits, although they manage to maintain some continuity in educational services.
Structural and Societal Challenges
Magloiris Turruelles López, who oversees Basic and Higher Secondary Education in the province, attributes this chronic shortage to deep-seated structural problems. Among these are a dwindling interest among young people in pursuing teaching careers and the migration of professionals to other sectors or countries.
"We face a significant gap when students don’t choose teaching careers, compounded by an exodus not only abroad but also to other sectors," she noted. Turruelles López also highlighted family influence as a deterrent for young people considering teaching professions. "Many times, families discourage these career choices," she pointed out, illustrating the struggle to replenish the teaching workforce amid the urgent need to fill hundreds of vacancies.
Emergency Measures and Temporary Solutions
With no immediate solution in sight, authorities have resorted to temporary measures. These include salary incentives under Ministerial Resolution 10/2024, the Educating for Love program that enlists university students as teachers, the involvement of the Revolutionary Armed Forces in teaching certain grades, and hourly contracts with professionals from Citma, Minint, and other entities.
Close to 200 fourth-year students from the Rita Longa pedagogical school are already leading classes, earning over 6,000 pesos monthly before graduation. While this helps address immediate needs, it underscores the education system’s reliance on yet-to-be-qualified personnel.
Such strategies have enabled certain schools to fully staff their faculties. Itavis Marrero Martínez, director of the ESBU Jesús Suárez Gayol, which serves 412 students, confirmed that her school has filled all teaching positions thanks to these interventions.
A National Crisis with Limited Solutions
The challenges in Las Tunas are part of a broader national crisis, with Cuba starting the 2026-2027 school year short of approximately 24,000 teachers, impacting 12.5% of the total positions. Consequently, over 380,000 students lack regular teachers.
By mid-October, national coverage had improved to 86%, yet 11,000 students still weren’t attending classes regularly, as reported by the Education Minister Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto. Camagüey and Holguín also faced significant shortages, starting the academic year with nearly 3,000 and over 2,000 vacancies, respectively.
The economic landscape exacerbates the challenge of retaining educators. Salaries set by Resolution 18/2026 range between 6,130 and 7,735 Cuban pesos monthly, starkly contrasting with a basic living cost estimated at 96,000 pesos. This income gap intensifies the struggle to keep teachers in classrooms, as provisional solutions fail to ensure comprehensive instruction for all students.
Understanding the Teacher Shortage Crisis in Cuba
Why is there a shortage of teachers in Las Tunas?
The shortage is primarily due to structural problems, including a lack of interest among young people in pursuing teaching careers and the migration of professionals to other sectors or abroad.
What measures are being taken to address the teacher shortage?
Authorities have implemented salary incentives, involved university students and military personnel in teaching, and contracted professionals from other sectors to temporarily fill gaps.
How does the teacher shortage impact students?
The shortage leaves many students without regular teachers, affecting the quality of their education and limiting their access to necessary subjects.