The teacher Idalmis, from the town of Sumidero in the municipality of Limonar, Matanzas, received arrogant and humiliating treatment from representatives of the Cuban government after her initiative to turn her home into an improvised classroom went viral on social media.
Instead of acknowledging her gesture, the authorities came to her home and ordered the dismantling of the space she had set up so that her students would not miss classes.
The story of Idalmis was published on September 5 by journalist Christian Arbolaez. The teacher had turned her porch into a classroom because the Rigoberto Corcho López primary school —the only one in the village— was in a state of disrepair: locked bathrooms, carpentry destroyed by termites, rotting wooden beams, and part of the roof collapsed.
The complaint went viral, and days later, officials from the Government of Matanzas arrived in Sumidero. According to testimonies from neighbors collected by Arbolaez, among them was the mayor of Limonar, who "reportedly arrived at Idalmis's house with an arrogant attitude" and ordered the removal of tables, chairs, and dismantling of the classroom that the teacher had prepared for the children.
The official response to the underlying problem was minimal. The delegate from the town was informed that "there were no resources to repair the school as it truly needs." The applied solution was limited to fixing the roof, repairing some damaged doors, and improving the bathrooms, before sending the children back to school.
The parents of the students are not at ease. According to Arbolaez, "they claim that the wooden beams of the ceiling are rotten and fear that it could collapse or that a tile might fall on the students."
"In the end, the complaint led the authorities to Sumidero, but it still hasn't brought about the solution the school needs," wrote Arbolaez. "And the saddest part is that Idalmis, who only tried to help her students, ended up being the one who received the mistreatment."
The parents' fear is not unfounded
In February of this year, two children were injured by the collapse of a ceiling in another Cuban school at risk of structural failure. Following the incident, the authorities inspected the building and stated that "the ceilings of the facility are in good condition," including the one that fell.
One of the children was injured and required three stitches. Both underwent a general examination. No other injuries were detected and both were discharged.
Public denunciations about the state of schools in Cuba are generally met by the State with official visits to educational institutions, but they rarely result in real improvements to the physical conditions of the buildings. Those who try to address the regime's inaction on their own may end up being the most affected.
Many teachers are leaving their jobs. The exodus of teachers and the educational collapse worsened at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year, which started on September 1 with a national shortfall of approximately 24,000 teachers —12.5% of the expected positions— and a teaching coverage of barely 73%.
This is compounded by the blackouts affecting the country and the scarcity of resources. There are schools that receive hundreds of students each day and opened without access to drinking water.
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