The 2024-2025 school year in Cuba begins on September 2 with a significant teacher shortage of 12.5%, reflecting one of the main challenges facing the country’s education system amid the economic crisis.
Cuban Education Minister Naima Trujillo said at a press conference that, although there are 156,000 active teachers and 12,000 teachers who will return to the classrooms, the teacher shortage remains at 24,000.
This shortage particularly affects the provinces of Havana, Artemisa, Mayabeque, Matanzas, Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey, with secondary and pre-university education being the most affected. report EFE agency.
Despite these obstacles, Trujillo assured that the school year will begin as planned, with 1.6 million students returning to classrooms.
Amid problems, school year begins in Cuba
In addition to the teacher shortage, other problems such as the lack of school uniforms and the limited provision of textbooks further complicate the educational situation in the country.
The Cuban leader admitted to state media that many students could begin the school year without uniforms due to a lack of fabrics to make them.
Last year, there were similar difficulties, with a shortage of school materials and problems with teacher coverage, which led many parents to resort to the informal market.
As is often the case, the Cuban government attributes these problems to the “complex international reality” and the “strengthening” of US sanctions against the island, the international agency notes.
During her visits to the provinces, the head of Education in Cuba emphasized the need to complete the teaching force and “strengthen political and ideological instruction, with a focus on the study of the figure of Fidel Castro and the fight against cultural colonization.”
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