Miguel Díaz-Canel turned to the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year this Wednesday to respond to those who speak of collapse in Cuba, posting on his Facebook profile a video explicitly addressed to his critics in which he stated that "more than one million 500 thousand children and adolescents are returning to the classrooms on Tuesday, September 1st."
The message from the leader, lasting just over a minute, concludes with a phrase that summarizes the official stance: "Together we defend the social achievements of the Cuban revolution."
The publication comes just two days after Díaz-Canel stated to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo: “No, we are not on the brink of collapse”, although in that same interview he acknowledged that the country is going through “one of the most difficult moments.”
The official rhetoric was not limited to the president. Walter Simón Noris, the first secretary of the Communist Party in Camagüey, stated on social media that "no one could imagine the political blow we are delivering to imperialism by starting classes this September 1," a statement that triggered a wave of mockery and outraged responses.
The reality that Cuban families face is starkly contrasted by that discourse. The education system begins the new school year with a deficit of at least 24,000 teachers —12.5% of the required positions— with provinces like Camagüey and Matanzas each accumulating more than 2,000 vacancies.
A teacher from Holguín publicly challenged the leader stating that "we haven't been paid since May."
The shortage of teachers is compounded by the lack of basic material conditions. The production of school uniforms reached between 2.2 and 2.3 million pieces, compared to a demand of 3.6 million, which means that only about 20% of students will receive new uniforms.
According to data from the World Food Programme, 48.5% of Cuban children between the ages of six and 11 do not receive food or snacks at school.
Power outages, which exceed 20 hours daily in many areas, also affect rest and the capacity to learn. "With what electricity, with what uniform, with what water, with what snack?" summarized a Cuban internet user in the comments of an official post.
In light of this situation, dozens of Cuban mothers have publicly declared that they will not send their children to school if minimum conditions are not guaranteed. “If there is no good quality for my children, they will not go to school ... period,” wrote Roxana San Gil in the Facebook group "Madres Cubanas Luchadoras 2".
The ruling party, for its part, acknowledges the difficulties while maintaining a triumphant tone.
The Minister of Education, Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto, assured during a tour of the country to verify preparations that efforts are being made to ensure a "dignified and sustainable" school year, although adapted to the conditions of the country, with flexible solutions tailored to each region.
The universities will begin with blended or remote learning formats, with in-person attendance only when conditions allow it.
The previous course had to be closed early, between June 15 and June 30, due to the energy crisis and the lack of fuel, and the university entrance exams were suspended in May and replaced by the pre-university academic index, as minimum conditions could not be guaranteed for their execution.
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