Schools reopen across Cuba as fuel, water and power shortages persist
Summary
Schools in Cuba reopened for the new school year, despite ongoing shortages of fuel, water, and electricity. Many students face challenges like lack of school buses, teachers, uniforms, and meals due to the country’s economic crisis and U.S. oil embargo.Key Facts
- Over 10,000 schools opened for about 1.4 million students and 135,000 teachers across Cuba.
- The government ended the last school year one month early because of worsening conditions.
- Fuel shortages have stopped school buses, forcing families to find other ways to get children to school.
- There is a shortage of teachers, with coverage falling to 73%, leading to the government moving teachers to Havana and asking retirees and students to help.
- School uniforms meet only 12% of demand due to lack of fuel and money to transport or import fabric.
- Some schools have only a 15-day supply of food; parents and private groups are expected to support meal programs.
- The education minister called reopening schools a “heroic act” given the island’s many difficulties.
- The economic crisis is linked to longtime U.S. sanctions and embargoes affecting fuel and imports.
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