The educational authorities of Cárdenas, in the province of Matanzas, denied on Wednesday the rumors circulating on social media about a supposed delay in the start of the 2026-2027 school year, and confirmed that classes will begin on September 1st as planned.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, the General Directorate of Education of the municipality was emphatic: "There is no change whatsoever to this date."
The denial was not limited to Matanzas. On the same day, the General Directorate of Education of the province of Guantánamo also refuted similar rumors about a possible change in the schedule, reaffirming September 1 as the unchangeable date and asking families to consult only official channels.
Cárdenas' note acknowledged that unverified versions had spread "on social media and in the public sphere," and urged mothers, fathers, and guardians to prepare their children now: reviewing supplies, uniforms, sleep schedules, and study habits.
"We dismiss any unofficial information and urge citizens to verify the sources," stated the institution, which promised to keep the public informed through its official channels and local media.
The credibility of these rumors is rooted in the recent history of forced adjustments to the Cuban school calendar.
In May 2026, the Cuban government moved up the end of the 2025-2026 school year to the period from June 15 to June 30 —when it was originally scheduled for July— due to the lack of fuel, power outages, and transportation difficulties.
The Minister of Education, Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto, then justified the decision by stating "limitations in logistical and supply conditions," a phrase that did not conceal the depth of the structural crisis plaguing the education system.
In May, the Education Directorate of Matanzas had already clarified rumors regarding a supposed early end to the current school year, stating that it would conclude in July according to the official calendar — a promise that the government itself ultimately failed to uphold weeks later.
The teacher shortage worsens the situation. In Matanzas alone, the 2025-2026 school year started with more than 2,000 teaching positions unfilled: only 7,478 of the 9,511 needed were filled.
At the national level, the minister acknowledged in August 2025 that the country was facing the "greatest teacher deficit" in the western part of the country, in a situation she described as "extremely complex."
The start of the school year on September 1st is set in the Official Gazette through Resolution No. 43-2025 of the Ministry of Education.
Projections for the new 2026-2027 school year include more than one and a half million students across the country, a figure that contrasts with the material and human shortages that the authorities themselves have acknowledged.
"Regular and punctual attendance from the first day is key to successful learning and the consolidation of the school community," concluded the Education Directorate of Cárdenas in its statement.
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