Recently, the World Bank stated that “Cuba has the best educational system in Latin America and the Caribbean.” According to the World Bank, Cuba is also “the only country in Latin America and the Caribbean to have a high quality educational system.” There is a LOT to deconstruct in this statement, which is obviously European and US centric and cannot be taken at face value. However, it may also prove useful to look at some of the characteristics of the Cuban educational system that led the World Bank to make these statements.
This segment is not intended to support what the World Bank says. I use the 1999 World Bank report, as it is the most comprehensive information about the Cuban educational system that I could find remotely. The Word Bank frames Cuba as an example for Latin America, I use it to provide examples of some of the characteristics of government sponsored free education, in part to show that the educational system in the US, with high levels of privatization, is not the only way of effectively achieving “high quality education.” I do not argue that the Cuban system is flawless, and I do not have access to student perspectives to complicate what the report says. I also do not claim that the following fully reflects the current situation of Cuban education; I was unable to find a great number of reliable sources regarding the current state of education in Cuba. Lastly, the majority of what follows focuses on primary and secondary education, suggesting that an effective education system has to begin with strong and universal primary and secondary education. Primary and secondary education cannot be left out of the conversation about higher education.
Characteristics of the Cuban education system:
Take aways:
More specifically about higher education:
Works cited:
This segment is not intended to support what the World Bank says. I use the 1999 World Bank report, as it is the most comprehensive information about the Cuban educational system that I could find remotely. The Word Bank frames Cuba as an example for Latin America, I use it to provide examples of some of the characteristics of government sponsored free education, in part to show that the educational system in the US, with high levels of privatization, is not the only way of effectively achieving “high quality education.” I do not argue that the Cuban system is flawless, and I do not have access to student perspectives to complicate what the report says. I also do not claim that the following fully reflects the current situation of Cuban education; I was unable to find a great number of reliable sources regarding the current state of education in Cuba. Lastly, the majority of what follows focuses on primary and secondary education, suggesting that an effective education system has to begin with strong and universal primary and secondary education. Primary and secondary education cannot be left out of the conversation about higher education.
Characteristics of the Cuban education system:
- Cuba allocates the highest share of its national budget, 13%, to education according to this article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/salim-lamrani/world-bank-cuba-has-the-b_b_5925864.html. According to the 1999 World Bank Report, it allocates 10-11% of its GDP to education. The United States, in contrast, spent 5.4% in 2010 and 5.2% in 2011 of its GDP on education. (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS). Cuba also spends substantial resources on education related expenditures besides teacher salaries
- Consistent political environment supportive of education.
- Public, centrally planned, free. Strong state guidance and control.
- Quality basic education and universal access to primary and secondary schools. Attempts at racial and gender integration.
- Early childhood education and student health programs and initiatives.
- Complementary educational programs outside of school (for example literacy programs, and adult and non-formal education).
- Community and parent participation and involvement in management of schools. Teachers interact regularly with community members and parents. “Teachers act as community activists and are involved in activities such as parents’ education and similar activities that have a positive impact on children’s education” (1999 World Bank 1999).
- “Education is a shared responsibility” principle. Student assemblies, parents’ councils, school councils, parents’ schools, and study homes are part of the education system.
- Extensive teacher training and attention to professional development. Teacher training as a life long process. Emphasis on teamwork and exchanging of resources among teachers. Continuous evaluation and assessment of teachers.
- High status of teachers. Little difference between teacher pay scales and those of other professionals.
- National curriculum adapted to local realities. Teachers and students adapt curriculum to learning needs. Can use innovation in times of scarce resources.
- Strategies to reach rural students and students with special needs. Schools built in rural areas so population doesn’t have to migrate to urban areas. There are 425 schools specifically for students with special needs, although many students with special needs attend regular schools as well.
- Education for social cohesion. Individuality is discouraged; emphasis is on the “collective.”\
- “The overall financing of a school does not decrease or increase as a consequence of its performance, and families do not select schools on the basis of academic performance.” · Textbooks are largely free and government produced. However, most stopped being produced in 1992.
- Linking school and work. “Labor education” in primary and secondary schools. Children work in schools, tasks ranging from cleaning and maintenance to working in gardens.
- Education geared around the needs of the state.
- Engineering and technical education as priority over the arts.
- Elite schools still exist. Example: Centro Vocacional de Lenin.
Take aways:
- Some of the results of this system include universal school enrollment and attendance, nearly universal adult literacy, proportional female representation at all levels including higher education, strong scientific training, and consistent quality across dispersed classrooms, both rural and urban.
- There is a growing body of international research on educational quality and effectiveness. Cuba developed many of the features this research determines are indicative of “high quality education” independent of the research.
- Even with resource constraints, if there is continuity in education strategies, high levels of investment in education, and a carefully structured system, high quality education, as defined by conventional standards of what constitutes high quality education, can still exist.
- High quality/effective education is about how money is mobilized, not just amount of money.
- However, “It is unclear whether Cuba will be able to maintain the consistency of educational investments and policy strategy in a more open environment” (World Bank 1999 report). Private education is beginning to make small, unofficial, inroads in Cuba.
More specifically about higher education:
- All universities and technical schools are run by the Ministry of Higher Education.
- Entering university requires proof of completing secondary education and that you pass a college entrance exam. Additionally, men must have completed compulsory military service.
- All University entrants have to be approved by the government.
- Emphasis on medicine and science.
- After 1989 University drop out rate rose to more than 30% and absenteeism among both students and teachers became common.
Works cited:
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/salim-lamrani/world-bank-cuba-has-the-b_b_5925864.html
- http://web.worldbank.org/archive/website00237/WEB/DOC/CUBAST-2.DOC
- http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/02/how-education-shaped-communist-cuba/386192/
- For more context about the history of the Cuban education system and changing US relations with Cuba: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/02/how-education-shaped-communist-cuba/386192/
- Basic facts about education in Cuba: http://knowaboutcuba.com/2012/06/a-look-at-the-education-system-of-cuba/
- This is cool! http://wordondastreet.com/cuba-offers-free-medical-school-black-latino-americans/