Havana, April 23, 2025. For two consecutive days, Havana became the point of encounter of education authorities from UNESCO and the country, with the purpose of exchanging good practices and outlining strategies to promote the achievement of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, more specifically, through the achievement of its Goal 4, “Quality Education”.
In the words of UNESCO's regional director, Anne Lamaistre, “as always, Cuba opens the doors to innovation”, referring to the concept of “collaboratory” of ideas, under which this first meeting was held to analyze the situation of Education, not only in the country, but also in the region.
The participation of key actors, such as Cuba's Minister of Education, Ms. Naima Trujillo, the sector's vice ministers, national, provincial and school directors and researchers, together with UNESCO specialists, was fundamental for this review of national and regional progress and challenges in education.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, 10.3 million children and adolescents are out of school and 3 out of 10 students do not complete high school. In Cuba, although the fundamental indicators that guarantee inclusive, equitable and quality education for all have been met, the challenges remain. As acknowledged by Henry Renna, Education Specialist of the UNESCO Regional Office in Havana: “The triple impact of the post-pandemic effects, the world economic crisis and the blockade generate enormous challenges to the achievement of SDG 4.