Lack of uniforms and materials at the beginning of the school year in Cuba

The 2022-2023 school year began this Monday in Cuba with a notableshortage of uniforms and study materials, as recognized by government authorities.

This November 28 they returned to classes1,700,000 students, in 10,931 educational institutions in the country, however, many of them returned to their schools without having all their basic needs covered.

Each student in the initial grades will have two tops and one bottom. In the remaining teachings, there will only be one uniform for secondary, pre-university, pedagogical and polytechnics, the Minister of Education recently said,Ena Elsa Velázquez Cobiella, in the television programRound table, where directors of the MINED, the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN) and the Light Industry Business Group (GEMPIL) also appeared.

Last week, the minister reported through her Twitter account that the sale of uniforms for preschool, fifth and seventh grades had already begun in 148 municipalities in the country, while in the rest it would begin between last Wednesday and Thursday. However,uniforms for the rest of the educational levels are still in production, which should conclude in the first half of December, according to its announcement.

In theRound table, the president of GEMPIL,Mirla Díaz Fonseca, pointed to the blackouts as the cause that prevented the state industry from "achieving the work rates so that the uniforms could be ready."

Although the course has already started,They have not been able to secure the necessary clothing. "We have been able to secure the garments that we already have ready thanks to adonation from China"he admitted.

Although there was initially a demand for2,153,310 garments, they had to reduce it to 1,274,000, of which 100% of those corresponding to primary school have been delivered, according to the official. He alleged that an adjustment should have been made with the MINED to "prioritize the uniforms of the preschool and fifth grade courses," and that each student in the initial grades has only two upper garments and one lower garment.

For pre-university education, the delivery of uniforms is scheduled for December 8; the pedagogical, for 10; and the polytechnic for December 16.The rest of the uniforms would be delivered in February, explained Díaz Fonseca.

Thestudy material base was also delivered incompletethis course,according to information from MINED authorities.

The minister said that anotebook per subject, however, for this course only 50 or 60% of the standard would be provided and “it will be complemented in relation to the production provided by the industry.”

InsteadOf the two pencils that were distributed monthly, only one will be given to each student, he clarified.

“Students will continue to use the textbooks that exist in the institutions and in this sense we have indicated the need to recover the existing ones and redistribute them, taking into account the behavior of enrollments,” said Velázquez Cobiella.

According to the official, before thelack of textbooks, it was decided to offer them in digital format so that students with computers opt for this medium "with the aim of benefiting those who do not have the necessary resources."

Given parents' concern about the Primary Education workbooks, the minister said that, although these have been prioritized, "not all have been completed and distributed."

He assured that Mathematics and Writing for first and second grades were guaranteed; English, from third grade to pre-university; and the special relationships workbooks, basic notions of mathematics and prewriting, all for preschool.

Invarious territories of the country Concern was expressed that the school uniforms were not complete to start the school year.

A few days before the new school period, inHundred fires Only the uniforms for primary school boys were complete. For girls, there were only 893 skirts in stock for that level, a tiny figure in relation to the required number, so the sale of this garment “would be later.”

In recent years, prior to the start ofeach school course, Cuban parents experience the same dissatisfaction regarding the availability of study materials for their children and school uniforms; in the latter case, due to the non-existence of all sizes, incomplete pieces and delays in sales.