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A Cuban mother publicly reported that her seven-year-old daughter will have to repeat the second grade after facing years of issues within the Cuban education system, characterized by a lack of teachers, absence of school materials, power outages, and inaction from the authorities at the school.
The complaint was filed on Facebook by Leticia Jiménez, who reported that the minor studies at the María Luisa Dolz primary school, located in the Diez de Octubre municipality in Havana. According to her account, the girl was suspended after enduring three years of irregularities that, she claims, severely affected her learning.
"I wonder what I did wrong or what my little girl did wrong for her to be the one paying the consequences of a country where there is never electricity for those children to be able to sleep," wrote the mother in a post shared on June 12, which quickly garnered reactions on social media.
The account describes a progressive deterioration of educational conditions starting from preschool. According to Leticia, the first teacher left the classroom just a month after the course began due to pregnancy. The teacher who replaced her was accused by several parents of taking the snacks meant for the students. Despite the complaints, the school's administration did not take action until the situation escalated into an altercation with a mother, after which the teacher left the school.
Difficulties continued in first grade. The group, consisting of 26 students, went months without a stable teacher until the administration assigned a teacher close to 80 years old. According to the complaint, the principal justified the decision by arguing that the woman needed to continue working to supplement her income. Later, the teacher fell ill with chikungunya and was left with physical aftereffects that further limited her performance in the classroom.
The situation did not improve during the second grade. The girl never received the textbooks corresponding to the course. When the mother complained, she states that the administration promised to obtain the materials from another school and ensure that the assignments were completed on campus. However, she claims that those promises were never fulfilled.
The teaching and material shortages were compounded by constant blackouts, water shortages, and the daily challenges faced by Cuban families in ensuring their children's rest and nutrition.
Leticia's complaint highlights an educational crisis that is spreading across the country. The Cuban authorities have moved up the end of the 2025-2026 school year to between June 15 and June 30 due to energy issues, fuel shortages, and transportation difficulties.
The educational system is also facing a severe shortage of teaching staff. Official data shows that Cuba began the 2024-2025 school year with a deficit of 24,000 teachers, which represents 12.5% of the expected positions. The situation persists in several provinces, where thousands of posts remain unfilled and the teacher coverage continues to fall below actual needs.
The impacts stemming from the energy crisis have also directly affected the academic calendar. In recent months, entrance exams for pre-university in some provinces have been suspended and the entrance exams to university for the 2026-2027 academic year have been eliminated, substituted by the cumulative academic average of the students.
Despite what happened, Leticia assured that she will not transfer her daughter to another school. Instead, she announced that she will document absences, arrival times, and the performance of the school's staff throughout the coming academic year.
His testimony concludes with a reflection that has resonated among many Cuban families facing similar issues: "There is not a single teacher like the ones I had in my childhood, who enjoyed being teachers, teaching children, and shaping them for a better future. I feel a deep sadness that we no longer have anything; they have taken everything from us."
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