Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged this Thursday that, given the difficult conditions Cuba is facing, "the easy thing" would have been not to start the new university academic year. However, he assured that opening classrooms in the midst of the crisis is "the most revolutionary thing" and even stated that the academic year could be "of higher quality."
The ruler made the statements during the national event for the start of the 2026-2027 academic year in higher education, held at the University of Matanzas, as reported by the official site of the Cuban Presidency.
"The most revolutionary thing is to start the school year under these conditions; and we are not going to start the school year out of obligation: we are going to start it because we are convinced that this school year, under these conditions, can even be of higher quality," stated Díaz-Canel.
The leader announced the opening of the universities as "an expression of a nation that does not give up," despite the new academic year starting amid prolonged blackouts, transportation issues, and other shortages resulting from the deep economic and energy crisis the country is facing.
The university authorities themselves had to prepare hybrid and semi-presential formats, adapted to the energy conditions of each area, in response to blackouts that in numerous regions of Cuba can exceed 20 hours daily.
The deterioration of working conditions has also fueled the exodus of teachers to the private sector or abroad, while low salaries make it difficult to retain professionals within the educational system.
Despite this situation, Díaz-Canel urged university students not to let shortages become an excuse for poor academic performance.
"Do not use any of the shortcomings we may have as an excuse to justify a lack of knowledge or teaching results," he stated.
He also insisted on attributing a significant part of the crisis to the U.S. embargo: “Let the economic and social crisis they are trying to impose on us with the intensification of the blockade and with the energy blockade never turn into a spiritual crisis and an educational crisis.”
The leader also described the start of classes as an "act of educational resistance, scientific resistance, and cultural resistance" and asserted that it represents "our response to the cultural colonial domination they seek to impose on us."
During the event, the Minister of Higher Education, Walter Baluja García, announced that more than 40,000 new students are joining Cuban universities this academic year.
Baluja also resorted to political discourse to defend the continuation of classes: "Which university in the world, under the conditions faced by ours, under the constant siege of brain drain and an overwhelming ideological war, could show such firm conviction in its social responsibility?"
The start of the academic year takes place after the government eliminated this year the traditional entrance exams for Higher Education and decided to use the pre-university academic index as the main criterion for granting degrees.
The reopening of classrooms has also sparked criticism among Cubans on social media, who are questioning the contrast between the official discourse on education and the material conditions in which students and teachers must begin classes. Similar comments emerged this week after Díaz-Canel once again presented the start of the academic year as one of the "achievements" of the Revolution.
After the event at the University of Matanzas, Díaz-Canel visited the Science and Technology Park of the province, where he learned about projects related to artificial intelligence applied to sports, tourism, and the rational use of energy.
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