Education in Cuba
Encyclopedia
Education in Cuba has been a highly ranked system for many years. The University of Havana
was founded in 1727 and there are a number of other well-established colleges and universities. Following the 1959 revolution, the Castro government nationalized all educational institutions, and created a system operated entirely by the government. Strong ideological content is present, with the constitution stating that educational and cultural policy is based on Marxist ideology.
Education expenditures continue to receive high priority, as Cuba spends 10 percent of its central budget on education, compared with 4 percent in the United Kingdom and just 2 percent in the United States, according to Unesco
.
, the new government placed the reconstruction of the education system as a top priority. A list of five key objectives was devised and used to frame Cuba’s educational system. Elementary school became mandated and more importantly available for all children. Many children who lived in poverty were now able to acquire an education for free providing them with an opportunity that eluded them prior to the revolution.
Following the basic restructuring and reopening of Cuban schools, the new government focused on the huge literacy problem the country faced. By April 1959, 817 literacy centers were opened and to further reach out to all, teens and other volunteers were sent out to the countryside to teach their fellow Cubans how to read. The Literacy Campaign
served two purposes; first, to educate every single Cuban and teach them to read, then, to give those who live in the city a chance to experience rural living. In a short time Cuba’s new government made vast changes to the educational system and by 2000 97% of Cubans aged 15–24 were literate. Literacy provided poor uneducated Cubans a better standing within the country and the world. Education was vital to the new government and the leaders believed that for Cuba to be strong, and for citizens to be active participants in society, they must be educated.
Private universities were nationalized without reimbursement along with private schools in 1961.
in 1959 brought numerous changes to the country, especially for women. Prior to the Revolution many women lived as housewives and for those who needed to work there were very few choices. Many women in rural areas worked in agriculture and for women in the city working as a maid or prostitute was the only choice. The Federation of Cuban Women
was founded in August 1960 with a clear goal to involve all women in Cuban affairs. After years of being excluded, the women of Cuba began to play an active role in the government. The FMC
wanted to see women involved with the social, political, economical and cultural issues Cuba faced. This required that schools and programs be built built to provide multiple services to Cuban women.
The Literacy Campaign
was created to increase Cuba’s literacy rate and also to initiate communication between the country and city. Students and volunteers went to rural areas to teach other country men to read and provide information on current Cuban politics. Rural women received schooling and job training if they choose to, which allowed them to work outside of agriculture. For women working as prostitutes in the cities the New Government created programs to reeducate them once prostitution became illegal in 1961. Separate but similar programs were created for maids, offering schooling and job training along with free daycare and housing, which allowed the women full opportunity to rebuild their lives. Healthcare was provided focusing on the mental health of Cuban women that had previously been oppressed in the work place. Skills to rebuild confidence and pride were taught because the New Government believed that all women deserved dignity even those in the service industry. The Cuban Revolution
brought about drastic change for women allowing them to become very active in their own country, which is what many in the revolution hoped for.
of thirteen Latin American countries surveyed.
A 1998 study by UNESCO
reported that Cuban students showed a high level of educational achievement. Cuban third and fourth graders scored 350 points, 100 points above the regional average in tests of basic language and mathematics skills. The report indicated that the test achievement of the lower half of students in Cuba was significantly higher than the test achievement of the upper half of students in other Central and South American countries in the study group.
The 1998 study by UNESCO
was particularly impressive, because for the first time all of the countries in the study had agreed on the indicators and procedures in advance. Also, the study was taken during the height of an economic depression; Cuba’s economic development has been severely restricted by the U.S. trade embargo. Cuba is one of the poorest countries in the region and lacks basic resources yet still leads Latin America in primary education in terms of standardized testing.
The fact of a relatively poor economy and a long-term continuous blockade on trade makes the Cubans' achievements more impressive. For the past forty years, education has been a top priority for the Cuban government. Cuba maintains twice the amount of public spending on education as its more wealthy neighbors, at 10% of GNP. Cuba shows how important education is by keeping a student to teacher ratio of 12 to 1, which is approximately half of the Latin American average. In addition the youth illiteracy rate in Cuba is close to zero, a figure unmatched by all other Latin American countries. Cuban schools are closely integrated with the community. Teachers are very active in the communities of the children that attend their schools, and build strong relationships with parents and families to enhance the learning process. It has been demonstrated that there is a strong commitment to the educational sector on the part of the government. Equal opportunity for a high quality education for all students is one of the key factors that explains that the Cuban educational success is not a miracle or an accident, but the result of many years of concerted efforts and commitments, by the government to its people.
School attendance is compulsory from ages 6 to 15 or 16 (end of basic secondary education) and all students, regardless of age or sex, wear school uniform
s with the color denoting grade level. Primary education lasts for six years. Secondary education is divided into basic secondary education and pre-university secondary education. The curriculum in primary and secondary schools is based upon principles of "hard work, self-discipline and love of country". The primary-school curriculum includes dance and gardening, lessons on health and hygiene, and Cuban revolutionary history. At the end of basic secondary education, pupils can choose between pre-university education and technical and professional education. Those who complete pre-university education are awarded the Bachillerato. Technical training leads to two levels of qualification - skilled worker and middle-level technician. Successful completion of this cycle gives access to the technological institutes.
All higher education institutions are public. The University of Havana
, Cuba's oldest university, was founded in 1728. Other official universities included Universidad de Oriente
(founded in 1947) and Universidad Central de Las Villas (founded in 1952). There is also the Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva (founded in 1946); Universidad Masónica, and the Universidad de la Salle in Nuevo Vedado.
Distance Education is offered in 15 centres across the country, which provide regular afternoon and evening courses for workers. The scheme offers five degrees in Law, History, Scientific and Technological Information, Accounting and Finance and Economics. There are approximately 20,000 students taking the five degrees offered in all the centres of the country, about 50% of whom are at the Universidad de La Habana. These studies are offered as evening or correspondence courses (week-ends) and generally last for six years. There are also 'guided' or free courses open to all secondary school or higher education graduates.
To enter university
, students must pass an entry examination to show they possess the basic knowledge required. Candidates for distance education must have completed secondary school, have at least one year's work experience, be between 25 and 35 years of age and pass an entrance examination. Membership in the Communist Party also affects a student's chances of being admitted to any of Cuba's universities.
The Ministry of Higher Education (Ministerio de Educación Superior, MES) is responsible for policy in matters of undergraduate and postgraduate education. It controls teaching, methodology, courses and programs and the allocation of student places, as well as the specialization courses offered by centres of higher education that come under the control of other ministries. All institutions have the same status. In 1979 the Cuban Ministry of Higher Education initiated a scheme of Distance Education.
, Britain and Latin America
n, Caribbean
, and Africa
n nations. Cuba currently hosts 3432 medical students from 23 nations studying in Havana
.
However, Cuba has also provided state subsidized education to foreign nationals under specific programs, including U.S. students who are trained as doctors at the Latin American School of Medicine. The program provides for full scholarships, including accommodation, and its graduates are meant to return to the US to offer low-cost healthcare.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19942866/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6914265.stm
. Cuba also maintains close co-operation on education with the United Kingdom
and other nations in the European Union
. In 2002 the Minister for Education in the Welsh Assembly Government Jane Davidson
and representatives of the Universities of Swansea and Glamorgan
in Wales
visited Cuba to create provisions for officials in Britain and Cuba to liaise over educational projects. In the United States, the Cuban and Caribbean Studies Institute, a part of Tulane University
, has developed relations with Cuban counterpart organizations for the purposes of academic collaboration and exchange, curricular development, cultural exchange and international development and dialogue.
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
was founded in 1727 and there are a number of other well-established colleges and universities. Following the 1959 revolution, the Castro government nationalized all educational institutions, and created a system operated entirely by the government. Strong ideological content is present, with the constitution stating that educational and cultural policy is based on Marxist ideology.
Education expenditures continue to receive high priority, as Cuba spends 10 percent of its central budget on education, compared with 4 percent in the United Kingdom and just 2 percent in the United States, according to Unesco
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
Overview
- Irrespective of income or place of living, education at every level is free.
- School meals and uniforms are free.
- There is a strict maximum of 25 children per primary-school class, many of which have as few as 20. As of 2010, secondary schools are striving towards only 15 pupils per class.
- Many schools open at 6.30 am and close 12 hours later, providing free morning and after-school care for working parents with no extended family.
- "Mobile teachers" are deployed to homes if children are unable to come to school.
- Over half of Cuba's 150,000 teachers have a master's degree.
- There are now 23 medical schools in Cuba, up from only 3 in 1959 before the Cuban RevolutionCuban RevolutionThe Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
.
History
The Spanish colonized Cuba until 1898 and left the country with an illiteracy rate of 63.9%. By the early 1900s Cuba’s had a strong educational system, but it was only attended by half of the country’s children. Schools were not accessible to the poorest Cubans and this resulted in a low literacy rate for the country compared to the city. Prior to 1959, of the Cubans over the age of 15 years, 22% were found to be illiterate and 60% of the country was found to be semi illiterate because many rural Cubans had a third-grade education or less. After the Cuban RevolutionCuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, the new government placed the reconstruction of the education system as a top priority. A list of five key objectives was devised and used to frame Cuba’s educational system. Elementary school became mandated and more importantly available for all children. Many children who lived in poverty were now able to acquire an education for free providing them with an opportunity that eluded them prior to the revolution.
Following the basic restructuring and reopening of Cuban schools, the new government focused on the huge literacy problem the country faced. By April 1959, 817 literacy centers were opened and to further reach out to all, teens and other volunteers were sent out to the countryside to teach their fellow Cubans how to read. The Literacy Campaign
Cuban Literacy Campaign
The Cuban Literacy Campaign was a year-long effort to abolish illiteracy in Cuba after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution...
served two purposes; first, to educate every single Cuban and teach them to read, then, to give those who live in the city a chance to experience rural living. In a short time Cuba’s new government made vast changes to the educational system and by 2000 97% of Cubans aged 15–24 were literate. Literacy provided poor uneducated Cubans a better standing within the country and the world. Education was vital to the new government and the leaders believed that for Cuba to be strong, and for citizens to be active participants in society, they must be educated.
Private universities were nationalized without reimbursement along with private schools in 1961.
Female participation
The Cuban RevolutionCuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
in 1959 brought numerous changes to the country, especially for women. Prior to the Revolution many women lived as housewives and for those who needed to work there were very few choices. Many women in rural areas worked in agriculture and for women in the city working as a maid or prostitute was the only choice. The Federation of Cuban Women
Federation of Cuban Women
The Federation of Cuban Women was established in 1960 under the revolutionary government with Vilma Espín as its president. Espin fought in the Sierra Maestras with Fidel Castro and Raul Castro and married Raul in 1959. She was the president of the FMC till her death in 2007. From its inception...
was founded in August 1960 with a clear goal to involve all women in Cuban affairs. After years of being excluded, the women of Cuba began to play an active role in the government. The FMC
FMC
-USA:*Federal Maritime Commission, federal agency responsible for the regulation of oceanborne transportation in the foreign commerce of the U.S.*FMC Corporation, ticker symbol FMC, formerly Food Machinery Corporation and Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation...
wanted to see women involved with the social, political, economical and cultural issues Cuba faced. This required that schools and programs be built built to provide multiple services to Cuban women.
The Literacy Campaign
Cuban Literacy Campaign
The Cuban Literacy Campaign was a year-long effort to abolish illiteracy in Cuba after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution...
was created to increase Cuba’s literacy rate and also to initiate communication between the country and city. Students and volunteers went to rural areas to teach other country men to read and provide information on current Cuban politics. Rural women received schooling and job training if they choose to, which allowed them to work outside of agriculture. For women working as prostitutes in the cities the New Government created programs to reeducate them once prostitution became illegal in 1961. Separate but similar programs were created for maids, offering schooling and job training along with free daycare and housing, which allowed the women full opportunity to rebuild their lives. Healthcare was provided focusing on the mental health of Cuban women that had previously been oppressed in the work place. Skills to rebuild confidence and pride were taught because the New Government believed that all women deserved dignity even those in the service industry. The Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
brought about drastic change for women allowing them to become very active in their own country, which is what many in the revolution hoped for.
Level of achievement
In 1995, the literacy rate was 96%. This was second after ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
of thirteen Latin American countries surveyed.
A 1998 study by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
reported that Cuban students showed a high level of educational achievement. Cuban third and fourth graders scored 350 points, 100 points above the regional average in tests of basic language and mathematics skills. The report indicated that the test achievement of the lower half of students in Cuba was significantly higher than the test achievement of the upper half of students in other Central and South American countries in the study group.
The 1998 study by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
was particularly impressive, because for the first time all of the countries in the study had agreed on the indicators and procedures in advance. Also, the study was taken during the height of an economic depression; Cuba’s economic development has been severely restricted by the U.S. trade embargo. Cuba is one of the poorest countries in the region and lacks basic resources yet still leads Latin America in primary education in terms of standardized testing.
The fact of a relatively poor economy and a long-term continuous blockade on trade makes the Cubans' achievements more impressive. For the past forty years, education has been a top priority for the Cuban government. Cuba maintains twice the amount of public spending on education as its more wealthy neighbors, at 10% of GNP. Cuba shows how important education is by keeping a student to teacher ratio of 12 to 1, which is approximately half of the Latin American average. In addition the youth illiteracy rate in Cuba is close to zero, a figure unmatched by all other Latin American countries. Cuban schools are closely integrated with the community. Teachers are very active in the communities of the children that attend their schools, and build strong relationships with parents and families to enhance the learning process. It has been demonstrated that there is a strong commitment to the educational sector on the part of the government. Equal opportunity for a high quality education for all students is one of the key factors that explains that the Cuban educational success is not a miracle or an accident, but the result of many years of concerted efforts and commitments, by the government to its people.
Primary and secondary education
School uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
s with the color denoting grade level. Primary education lasts for six years. Secondary education is divided into basic secondary education and pre-university secondary education. The curriculum in primary and secondary schools is based upon principles of "hard work, self-discipline and love of country". The primary-school curriculum includes dance and gardening, lessons on health and hygiene, and Cuban revolutionary history. At the end of basic secondary education, pupils can choose between pre-university education and technical and professional education. Those who complete pre-university education are awarded the Bachillerato. Technical training leads to two levels of qualification - skilled worker and middle-level technician. Successful completion of this cycle gives access to the technological institutes.
Higher education
Higher education is provided by universities, higher institutes, higher pedagogical institutes, centres of higher education and higher polytechnic institutes. Cuba has 47 universities and total university enrollment is approximately 112,000 citizens.All higher education institutions are public. The University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
, Cuba's oldest university, was founded in 1728. Other official universities included Universidad de Oriente
Universidad de Oriente
The University of Oriente Venezuela is a university located in Eastern Venezuela.The university has 5 campuses located in the states of Sucre, Anzoátegui, Monagas, Bolívar, and Nueva Esparta....
(founded in 1947) and Universidad Central de Las Villas (founded in 1952). There is also the Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva (founded in 1946); Universidad Masónica, and the Universidad de la Salle in Nuevo Vedado.
To enter university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, students must pass an entry examination to show they possess the basic knowledge required. Candidates for distance education must have completed secondary school, have at least one year's work experience, be between 25 and 35 years of age and pass an entrance examination. Membership in the Communist Party also affects a student's chances of being admitted to any of Cuba's universities.
The Ministry of Higher Education (Ministerio de Educación Superior, MES) is responsible for policy in matters of undergraduate and postgraduate education. It controls teaching, methodology, courses and programs and the allocation of student places, as well as the specialization courses offered by centres of higher education that come under the control of other ministries. All institutions have the same status. In 1979 the Cuban Ministry of Higher Education initiated a scheme of Distance Education.
Teacher education
A four-year course is provided for pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers at the Institutos Superiores Pedagógicos. They obtain the "Licenciado en Educación Primaria" (Certificate in Primary Education) or other types of degrees. Admission to these courses is based on the Bachillerato. Higher education students are offered specialized upgrading courses in the subjects they teach as well as teacher training courses. Many teachers are professionals from the production field. Where teachers are specially selected graduate students, as has mostly been the case in the last ten years, they receive initial teacher training simultaneously with their studies.International students
Although education is free to Cuban citizens, foreign students wishing to study in Cuba pay tuition fees of between US$4000-7000. Foreign students must hold a Bachelors or an equivalent degree, have a visa and follow compulsory Spanish classes. Preparatory facilities offer courses in Spanish. During the 2000-01 school year Cuba allowed 905 U.S. students to visit and study. In 1999 a scheme was implemented to attract students to study medicine in Cuba from less privileged backgrounds in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Britain and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n, Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n nations. Cuba currently hosts 3432 medical students from 23 nations studying in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
.
However, Cuba has also provided state subsidized education to foreign nationals under specific programs, including U.S. students who are trained as doctors at the Latin American School of Medicine. The program provides for full scholarships, including accommodation, and its graduates are meant to return to the US to offer low-cost healthcare.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19942866/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6914265.stm
Educational cooperation
In 2006 Venezuela and Cuba began jointly sponsoring education programs in El Palomar, BoliviaBolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. Cuba also maintains close co-operation on education with the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and other nations in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. In 2002 the Minister for Education in the Welsh Assembly Government Jane Davidson
Jane Davidson
Jane Davidson, AM was the Labour Assembly Member for Pontypridd and the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in the Welsh Assembly Government. She lives in Gwaelod-y-Garth with her husband and three children...
and representatives of the Universities of Swansea and Glamorgan
University of Glamorgan
The University of Glamorgan is a university based in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales with campuses in Treforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern and Cardiff...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
visited Cuba to create provisions for officials in Britain and Cuba to liaise over educational projects. In the United States, the Cuban and Caribbean Studies Institute, a part of Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
, has developed relations with Cuban counterpart organizations for the purposes of academic collaboration and exchange, curricular development, cultural exchange and international development and dialogue.
See also
- List of universities in Cuba
- List of education articles by country
- International School of HavanaInternational School of HavanaThe International School of Havana is an international school in Havana, Cuba located in the exclusive neighborhood of Miramar.-History:It was founded in 1965 by Phyllis Powers, a British expatriate, to educate the children of diplomatic missions' staff...
External links
- Cuban Education in Figures, 1958-2000
- Information on education in Cuba from Cuba-Junky.com
- Cuban ministry for Education website (dead link 24-May-2011)
- Photos of Cuban education