Related videos:
An anonymous post in the Facebook group Compra venta Artemisa sparked controversy on Cuban social media by sharing screenshots of a WhatsApp chat where parents from a preschool were organizing a collection of 1,500 pesos per child to fund an end-of-year party, including a gift for the educators.
The message from the chat, agreed upon "by majority vote" in a parents' meeting, detailed that the money should be delivered before June 15th and that the activity was scheduled for the 26th of that month.
In addition to the collection, three mothers committed to bringing a cake each for the teachers. The chat explicitly requested discretion.
"Please, discreetly give the money to the teachers, if possible in the child’s backpack, since we are taking care of them and they are helping us," he requested.
The anonymous author of the post described the situation as shameful and threatened to reveal identities. "This is happening in Cuba, at such difficult times; we Cubans are a disgraceful people... this time I kept the names hidden, but next time I will reveal identities and it will go directly to the minister."
The post generated a divided reaction. A user identified as Elaine Canuet Cabrera publicly responded by criticizing anonymity. “It’s shameful for people to hide behind social media without showing their face,” she said.
Most commentators defended the educators and pointed out that the practice of collecting money for school parties has existed in Cuba for decades.
"That has always existed, parents come to an agreement and if one can't contribute, it's no big deal, the child participates just the same," wrote Leydi Lasso. Aylin Ferreiro, with 21 reactions, added that "since when have school parties been paid for by the institution? It's always been thanks to the sacrifices of the parents."
However, critical voices pointed to the real economic burden that figure represents. "I think they tightened things up with the 1500 per child; there will be some who can manage it, but I imagine that the majority cannot. Not everyone has high salaries, nor businesses, nor family abroad," wrote an anonymous participant.
Carles Durán was more direct: "It's not just 1500 pesos, which is far from insignificant for a Cuban; the panetela costs no less than 2000. We have normalized this in Cuba like so many other things that are done poorly," he reasoned.
The controversy reflects a structural tension in the Cuban educational system. Education is formally free, but in practice, parents finance everything from fans to graduation parties due to the state's inability to meet those needs.
Since 2016, there has been documentation of how some teachers sanctioned or marginalized students whose parents did not contribute money.
The salary of preschool educators ranges from six to twenty dollars per month based on the informal exchange rate, depending on their category.
Rafael Lahera Atencio mentioned in the comments that the salary of educators is 5,000 pesos per month, describing it as insufficient.
The YouTuber Frank Camallerys humorously recalled in December 2025 that in his school "every class contributed 1 CUC to buy the fan, and all the classes disappeared."
The institutional response worsened the unrest. Sailys Uria reported in the comments that the Education Directorate made a sectoral decision as a result of the complaint.
"Thanks to this person, the children will now have one more party, and that is the sectorial decision: no costumes or venue for the event," she noted.
Many parents perceived the measure as a collective punishment for the children, which intensified the debate over who is truly responsible for the shortcomings of the education system on the island.
Filed under: