The successful organization of this new school year is the result of the government’s and people’s efforts to recover from the devastation caused by three big hurricanes that hit the country in 2008, right at the end of August and early September when students were preparing to go back to school. As a consequence, several homes and offices in the affected communities were used as classrooms to ensure the continuity of studies.

Also, in spite of the US economic blockade of the island and the world’s financial crisis, Cubans managed to get schools ready and guarantee the beginning of the 2’’0-2010 school year.

Cuban Education Minister Ena Elsa Velasquez assured that students will receive better training as compared to previous years as new actions have been introduced precisely to increase the teaching quality.

In the secondary level (7th to 9th grades), the curriculum will include an advanced program for History of Cuba in the 7th and 8th grades, while professors and tutors will receive further post-graduate training.

Meanwhile, applicants to Municipal University Venues will have to pass different tests as those who apply to the regular higher-studies program.

In addition, Municipal University Centers will be created to support educational efforts with the cooperation of all teaching institutes while pre-university institutes (10th to 12th grades) will be reopened in some cities and province capitals.

In total, there are more than 13,000 schools, 68 universities and 160 municipal higher studies centers in Cuba and, as it is well-known, people have free access to education, including higher-studies programs available even in the most remote places of the country.