Education in Cuba - History

History

The Spanish colonized Cuba until 1898 and left the country with a literacy rate of 36.1%. By the early 1900s Cuba 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 Revolution, 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.