The Cuban Ministry of Education (MINED) announced on Thursday that schools will reopen on November 11 in the central and western provinces, despite the unresolved energy crisis affecting the Cuban populace. This decision was communicated through a Facebook post by MINED, which referenced Note 6 from the National Civil Defense Staff, highlighting the recovery phase for the provinces of Mayabeque, Artemisa, Havana, Pinar del Río, and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, as well as a return to normalcy for Matanzas and Ciego de Ávila.
Nevertheless, the statement clarified that educational facilities severely damaged by Hurricane Rafael and not yet repaired will be excluded from this reopening plan. During a television appearance, Naima Trujillo Barreto, Minister of Education, stated that the majority of educational institutions are expected to be ready to resume classes on Monday, November 11, according to preliminary reports on the damage caused by Hurricane Rafael in the western part of the country, as reported by the state-run CubaDebate.
The Minister noted that the damage to educational infrastructure is mainly focused on the detachment of waterproof coverings and roofing materials. To address this, there is already a coordinated effort to expedite the delivery of necessary materials and facilitate the swift recovery of the affected facilities.
However, for schools unable to reopen due to unfavorable conditions, the ministry plans to implement "a series of tailored methodological alternatives to minimize educational disruption." According to CubaDebate, the minister also mentioned that steps such as student reallocation and other pedagogical alternatives will be taken as needed.
Schools as Evacuation Centers
Regarding the use of schools as evacuation centers, the minister explained that the preparation of these facilities exceeded the number of people requiring accommodation. In some areas, adjustments are already underway to facilitate the return of evacuees and their reassignment to appropriate destinations as necessary.
Interestingly, in Santiago de Cuba, a province not impacted by Hurricane Rafael, classes are also set to resume on Monday, November 11. This suggests that the decision to restart the school year could be linked to the ongoing energy crisis, which worsened following a major power outage on Wednesday. Manuel Falcón, Governor of Santiago de Cuba, confirmed on his Telegram channel that schools would reopen on that date, stating, "Classes are suspended until Monday, November 11," without providing further details.
The Cuban government had previously suspended classes since last Tuesday across western territories due to the Alert Phase declared for the threat posed by Tropical Storm Rafael, which later intensified into a powerful Category 3 hurricane.