A Look at Cuban Schools: What is Cuba Doing Right?

Abstract

On a visit to Cuba, Ms. Hunt discovers that a society -- even one in dire economic straits -- that makes education and health care its top priorities can create a successful school system. IN 1954 I first visited Cuba as a participant in a student exchange. When I was offered a chance to be part of a language arts team sent by People to People International to visit Cuban schools in October 2000, the opportunity to return after 46 years was too enticing to pass up. Since my retirement as an elementary school principal in Massachusetts, I've worked primarily on Latin American education, visiting countless classrooms in very impoverished public schools. I had been reading about the excellent performance by Cuban third- and fourth-graders on UNESCO's first comparative tests of reading and math in 1997.1 Cuban youngsters scored far higher than their peers in 12 other Latin American countries. I was curious to see for myself what the Cubans were up to in education. Our trip was indeed a fascinating one, as we visited schools from preschool through the university level and talked with teachers and principals in Havana and Cienfuegos. My strongest impression was that the Cubans, who have made health care and education the cornerstones of their revolution, are doing several things very well. Most notable is the open and obvious commitment by the government to maintain these priorities in the face of the nation's severe economic difficulties. The children we saw were, without exception, healthy and full of vitality, clean, well groomed, and well behaved. In other poor countries, I've seen countless children suffering from malnutrition, sores, runny eyes, matted hair, and other neglected physical problems, such as crossed eyes and crooked limbs. But Cuba's children were bright-eyed, cheerful, open, and eager to talk with us. Their health was a testament to Cuba's provision of adequate health care and nutrition for all children, an accomplishment we in the U.S. have not matched. All women in Cuba have the right to take one year of maternity leave, and working mothers have the option of sending their children to free day care from age 6 months on. Day-care centers accept children up to age 5 or 6. Then the school system takes over. Education through ninth grade is mandatory. After that, students attend either a technical school or a pre-university program for grades 10 through 12. The Cubans are justifiably proud of the fact that all education -- including university and continuing education -- is free and open to everyone. In fact, everyone attends the public schools, which means that everyone cares about them. In much of the rest of Latin America, only the very poor attend public schools. This means that middle-class parents, who might be the most effective lobbyists for public education, do not have the direct incentive to fight for the public schools that they would have if their own children attended them. We in the U.S. face similar problems in most of our big-city school systems. Another strength of the Cuban system is the obvious commitment and pride of the teachers. Teachers at all levels are expected to complete five years of university study, and there is an extensive system of additional courses and work toward master's or doctoral degrees. Teachers are encouraged to engage in research projects that relate closely to their classroom problems and experiences. All salaries in Cuba are similar, and teachers earn as much as doctors -- in some cases more. But that's not a lot. The average salary for a teacher is about $200 per month, with the maximum reaching about $300 per month. Unfortunately, we were told that this is not enough to live on and that no one in Cuba these days can survive unless at least one member of the extended family can earn U.S. dollars. Many teachers and professors are being drawn away from the profession to work in more lucrative fields, such as the tourist industry. …