The president Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that Cuba needs to attract more young people to Higher Education through incentives and flexibility, in light of the impact of the demographic crisis and the need for a skilled workforce.
He also called for taking into account the rapid demographic aging of the country when evaluating the continuity plans for ninth-grade graduates, pre-university students, and other prioritized sources, during the last meeting of the entity in 2025.
According to a report from state television, the Council of Ministers also approved plans for the continuation of studies for ninth-grade graduates into Technical Professional Education and pre-university; for admission to Higher Education for pre-university graduates and other prioritized sources; and for the continuation of studies for pre-university graduates who do not access Higher Education.
According to Jesús Otamendiz Campos, Minister of Labor and Social Security, the continuity of education will be ensured for all ninth-grade graduates, along with more than one option for pursuing higher education for all pre-university graduates.
The leader insisted that Cuba needs to have a "strong pool of qualified labor" and, in his opinion, there are possibilities to achieve this if mechanisms are designed to encourage young people to engage in Higher Education.
In this regard, he proposed to study a group of incentives from universities that encourage pre-university students to aspire to pursue university degrees.
Díaz-Canel also referred to a segment of young people who choose to graduate as intermediate or higher-level technicians, and he deemed it necessary to create conditions so that some of them can continue their university studies through intensive courses or other flexible modalities, the Presidency portal highlighted.
He also highlighted the need to evaluate alternatives for young people who, for economic reasons, have not accessed Higher Education.
As explained, it would be necessary to provide them with facilities, flexibility, and options in both daytime courses and evening classes, allowing them to graduate in university programs.
The impact of the Cuban polycrisis
The president's statements come in a context marked by a deep economic crisis, high inflation, a decline in gross domestic product, and a sustained migratory exodus that has particularly affected the young working and professional population.
In recent years, numerous university graduates have left the country or disengaged from practicing their professions, amid the decline in real wages and living conditions.
Although the government has emphasized the need to strengthen academic and technical training to support economic development, the country's structural issues, including a lack of material incentives and the precariousness of the labor market, have limited the educational system's ability to retain young people both inside and outside the classroom.
On the other hand, the most recent admissions process to Higher Education in Cuba showed only a modest improvement compared to the previous year, with overall results still low and uneven.
According to preliminary data from the Ministry of Higher Education, out of 22,804 applicants, only 18,402 took the entrance exams, and only 51.5% passed the three mandatory subjects.
Although this figure represents a one percentage point increase compared to the previous year, the performance still reflects the structural difficulties of the educational system.
Mathematics once again recorded the worst results, with a decline of four percentage points, while Spanish and Cuban History showed better approval rates.
Territorially, the results showed marked disparities between provinces, with more favorable performances in Santiago de Cuba, Pinar del Río, and Granma, and setbacks in Isla de la Juventud and Holguín.
Although the authorities reported that 97.3% of the students who passed the exams obtained a career of their choice, a significant portion of university places was allocated without the need to take the tests, through academic competitions, community colleges, and other alternative pathways.
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