Related videos:
The General Director of Education in Las Tunas, Nilser Piñeda, publicly acknowledged that the elimination of the double school session during the 2025-2026 academic year left children wandering during unusual hours, exposed to the streets and crime, an unusual admission for a functionary of the Cuban regime.
The measure, adopted in response to the energy crisis and fuel shortage, had direct social consequences that the authorities had to address alongside the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), acknowledged Piñeda in statements to the official newspaper 26, the official
"The fact that we worked in a single session led to students being out of school at unusual hours. The family did not always have the means to care for them, and many wandered about," he pointed out
The official also agreed that school absenteeism increased during the school year, reaching figures that needed to be analyzed "repeatedly" in the working groups responsible for the province's social policies.
Even more concerning, Piñeda acknowledged that "in some cases, minors have been reported committing crimes," a situation that was addressed with specific strategies coordinated with the Minint.
The elimination of the double session was described by the official himself as an "unprecedented reorganization" in the educational system of Las Tunas, exacerbated by the severe fuel shortage affecting Cuba.
"This decision to concentrate teaching into a single session allowed students to leave at times when they traditionally remained at school, including lunch," Piñeda explained.
In May 2025, power outages were already forcing a relaxation of schedules and school uniforms in provinces like Artemisa, where secondary schools adopted single-session classes without snacks.
In March, the government demanded that children return to school despite the energy crisis, which sparked widespread outrage among parents on social media.
The situation of child neglect coincides with a documented deterioration of public safety. The Cuban Observatory of Citizen Audits recorded 2,833 verified crimes in 2025, a 115% increase compared to 2024, with thefts being the predominant crime.
On the other hand, youth gangs have grown in organization and presence in multiple municipalities across the country during the year.
The consumption of synthetic drugs has also reached school environments. Authorities in Guantánamo confirmed in April 2025 the detection of more than a dozen minors using narcotics within educational centers, including eight hospitalized for intoxication.
With the summer of 2026 already underway and the school year concluded, Piñeda shifted the responsibility to the families and emphasized that the teachers exhausted their resources to finish the course "under extreme conditions."
The article from the newspaper 26 concludes with a warning that summarizes the seriousness of the situation: "If the family does not do it, the void will be filled by the street, by crime, in a society that cannot afford to lose its youngest generation."
Filed under: