Havana, September 1, 2026. – Cuba has begun the 2026–2027 school year, reaffirming once again the priority the country places on education and on the development of future generations.
The national opening ceremony took place at the Rafael María de Mendive School, an institution closely associated with the memory of José Martí, National Hero of Cuba, and was presided over by the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
Against a backdrop of significant economic and energy-related difficulties, the beginning of the new school year represents a collective effort involving teachers, students, families, communities, and institutions. Preparing the necessary conditions to ensure the continuity of educational activities has required creativity, commitment, and the capacity to respond to current challenges.
During the ceremony, the President placed particular emphasis on the work of Cuban educators, whose dedication is essential to sustaining the quality and continuity of teaching and learning processes. He also underscored the shared responsibility of families, institutions, and society as a whole in the comprehensive development of children, adolescents, and young people.
The new school year presents significant challenges, while also creating opportunities to continue strengthening the education system and pursuing innovative solutions in response to current circumstances. Education, understood as a right and as a fundamental tool for social development, remains at the heart of the country's national priorities.
From this perspective, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to public, free, inclusive, and universal education, as well as to safeguarding every student's right to learn and develop to their full potential.
As this new academic year begins, the message is clear: as long as schools remain open and teachers and students continue to meet in classrooms, Cuba will continue to place its confidence in knowledge, the cultivation of values, and the building of its future.
For Cuba, education remains a concrete expression of its commitment to future generations and to the development of the nation.