HAVANA — Cuba's education minister confirmed on Thursday that the new school year will begin as scheduled on Sept. 1, even as the nation grapples with a severe energy crisis and widespread blackouts.
Minister Naima Trujillo acknowledged that restarting classes presents a "substantial challenge" against a backdrop of rolling blackouts and chronic shortages of food and fuel that have upended daily life across the communist-ruled island.
In recognition of the crisis, schools will adopt a lenient approach toward students, including tolerance for those arriving late or not wearing a uniform. Trujillo said the primary objective for the academic year is simply to hold classes at all.
Shortly after her remarks, the Union Electrica de Cuba, the national electricity company, announced a major power outage affecting four of eastern Cuba's five provinces. The utility company attributed the blackout to a transmission failure that severed electricity supplies from three power plants.
The U.S. government began blocking oil shipments to Cuba in January as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to pressure the regime. The administration has also tightened broader sanctions on the island, resulting in an exodus of foreign investors and straining the Cuban economy.
Cuba is experiencing electricity rationing and acute shortages of fuel, drinking water and subsidized food. Power cuts in Havana have extended for up to 30 hours at a time, while rural areas have experienced outages lasting for days.
Yannay Miranda, a mother of a six-year-old girl, said she would do everything possible to ensure her daughter attends school, stating, "so that she doesn't stop learning."
