“As Long As There Are Classrooms with Students and Schools with Teachers in Cuba, There is a Homeland..”

By Alina Perera Robbio on September 3, 2026

“As long as there are classrooms with students and schools with teachers in Cuba, there is a nation, there is a homeland, there is a Revolution, and there is Socialism.”

This is what Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, affirmed on Tuesday morning following the conclusion of the National Ceremony marking the start of the 2026–2027 school year.

From the iconic Paseo del Prado in Old Havana—a setting that bears traces of the school where Teacher Mendive educated the young Martí—President Díaz-Canel spoke to the press team of the Presidency of the Republic of Cuba, not without first noting the emotion inspired by these moments when the country opens its classrooms: “Starting this school year was, for all of us, a huge commitment.”

He shared this sentiment because, in his view, it meant “beginning the school year on the centennial of the Commander-in-Chief’s birth, in the midst of the situation we are currently facing.”

Surrounded by children, teenagers, and young adults who had taken part in a ceremony marked by beauty and emotion, the dignitary wished to share three key reflections with the reporters; in the first, he alluded to “the victory that is taking place today in Cuban classrooms with the start of this school year.”

A second element, he noted, is related to “the fruit of a collective effort.” And a third element, he said, “is the challenge we face in teaching and learning” while operating in the midst of transformations.

Success in the Classrooms

“Success is in the classrooms,” declared the Head of State, “because, as the minister (of Education, Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto) explained, this was not the sound of a routine bell or an everyday bell.”

“It means having begun the school year in the midst of a complex situation that we cannot deny—neither to our teachers, nor to our students, nor to our children, nor to our teenagers.”

Díaz-Canel Bermúdez emphasized that the start of this school year “also demonstrates the capacity of a country, a nation, and a Revolution, where the passion for knowledge and love of the homeland prevail over all restrictions, prevailing over that genocidal blockade policy” that seeks—he denounced—to drag a country into barbarism.

The Cuban President emphasized that beginning this school year “is a response to the colonialist barbarism they are trying to impose on us. It is the will of a people, of a Revolution. It is political will. It is educational will. It is the will of a nation that knowledge and the passion for learning will prevail over any adversity.”

“And I believe that when this is achieved—and when this triumph is achieved in the classrooms, under the conditions in which it has been achieved—it also demonstrates the greatness and stature of a people and a nation.”

The Fruit of a Collective Effort

The president spoke about the fruit that arises from collective effort: “We have witnessed,” he said, “intense weeks of work, in which all the leadership structures of the education system and training agencies—from the grassroots level, from the schools, all the way up to the national level—have been participating alongside families and the community, alongside all institutions, alongside all agencies of the Central State Administration, as well as provincial and municipal institutions, striving to improve schools and create favorable conditions amid these adversities.”

In the Head of State’s view, this “also conveys a sense” of how “we all contribute to education, and how we all defend education.” And at that point in his remarks, he told reporters how, a few months ago, he had asked the ministers of Education and Higher Education, and “the rest of the ministers of educational agencies, to devise a plan for how we could tackle the school year amid the energy blockade and the intensification of the blockade, without denying that we were going to carry out the school year in any case.”

In this regard, the president stated: “I knew I was giving them a very difficult task. And I never doubted them, but I always thought about what options might be available.”

“And I believe that after two weeks, they presented the first proposal for the school year; and it was a truly innovative, truly creative proposal.” Díaz-Canel Bermúdez emphasized that this kind of response, under such adverse conditions, can only be generated by “commitment to and confidence in the Revolution.”

For this reason—and because of “this collective effort that has allowed us to reap the rewards of starting the school year”—the head of state affirmed: “It is worth expressing our gratitude and recognition to all our teachers, all our professors, all our institutions, parents, families, and communities for what they have accomplished.”

“And a third issue, then, is the challenge of how we teach and how we learn in times of transformation. Because it’s not just about starting the school year: it’s about starting the school year and how we uphold, amid all the complexity, the quality of the school year.”

The Cuban President told reporters: “I’ll go even further: what we have all agreed upon, what we have set out to do, is that—in such a difficult school year—we are going to strive for even higher quality in education.”

“Every classroom will become a workshop for solutions. It will be a difficult school year, but it will be a dignified one.”

“This start of the school year is an embrace of optimism and an expression of the Revolution’s and the country’s determination to continue defending a social achievement as sublime and as paradigmatic as the nation is for all of us. It is about granting our children, our grandchildren, our youth, and our young children the right to an education; and it is also about giving them the right to dream and for us to share those dreams.”

A Call to Teachers, Students, and Families

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba wished to issue a call, first and foremost, to teachers, of whom he said: “We know that you, too, face the complexities of daily life within your own families, that your salary is not what we would like it to be, nor does it fully compensate for all your efforts.”

To them, Díaz-Canel Bermúdez sent this message: “Be aware that you are the backbone—alongside our creators and artists—of this people’s cultural resilience; we need your capacity for innovation; we also need your dedication, your commitment, and your care for children who may be in a situation of greater vulnerability.”

“Because they,” said the president, referring to teachers, “are not merely transmitters of knowledge: our teachers, our professors, our educational staff, are above all cultivators of the resilience that sets us apart as a nation and as a people.”

To the young people, to the students, the President of the Republic of Cuba said: “Be conscious that all this effort was made for you, that all this collective effort was made for you. Therefore, there is no justification for using the lack of a teaching resource or a pedagogical tool as an excuse for not learning.”

“On the contrary: devote yourselves passionately to your studies, devote yourselves passionately to learning, and let that also be part of your contribution to this daily effort and to the tremendous effort the entire country has made so that the school year could begin today.”

Addressing Cuban families, the dignitary emphatically reminded them that “school alone cannot do it” and that, together—between school and family—“we must contribute” and “we must defend this endeavor.”

Toward the end of his remarks, Díaz-Canel Bermúdez extended a message to Cuban society: “Happy start to the school year, and we wish everyone success in it.”

It’s Not Just Any Old Bell

The National Ceremony marking the start of the 2026–2027 school year began with a tribute to Fidel and it was moving from start to finish: filled with art, music, dance, and the talent of children, teenagers, and young adults. It was a start that, quite rightly, could bring a tear to one’s eye, as it served as a testament to the fact that—against all odds and despite an enemy that is denying life through countless means and maneuvers—the island is reopening its classrooms to sow knowledge and feelings in the souls of its children.

It was a beautiful morning, very close to the sea, attended by Manuel Marrero Cruz, member of the Political Bureau and Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, as well as other leaders from the Communist Party, the government, the Union of Young Communists, mass and student organizations, educational institutions, and other entities that maintain working relationships with the education sector.

Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto delivered the keynote address at the ceremony. She told everyone: “It is September once again, and as on every first day of the ninth month of the year, Cuban schools reopen their doors. The sun that rises and illuminates classrooms, playgrounds, and schools on this day heralds a new beginning and reveals the excitement of our children’s arrival, the confident and tender stride of the teachers, and the urgent and hopeful steps of the families.”

“This has been the case for every generation, as we enjoy the achievement that has given us our identity and that the world recognizes as the great work of the Revolution.”

Naima emphasized that “the bell that summons us today sounds different. It is not just the ringing of a bell, the signal from a loudspeaker, or the teacher’s firm call inviting us to begin: It is the heartbeat of a nation that decides, once again, to invest in its future. It is the sound of resilience, tenderness, and hope. It is heard with the strength of those of us who know that educating is the noblest and most just thing we can do.”

The minister emphasized that “education in Cuba is non-negotiable. It is not measured by new blackboards or immaculate uniforms, although we will fight every day, every moment, to have them.” She said this because “education in Cuba is measured by the dignity of never abandoning anyone,” and “it is measured by the certainty that, even if resources are lacking, there will be no shortage of creativity, solidarity, and love from our teaching staff.”

Naima spoke of Fidel as an inspiration; she recalled “one of the most momentous events for Cuban educators and for our entire people: that epic undertaking that forever changed the face of Cuba, the 1961 Literacy Campaign”; and she reflected that, 65 years later, “we face new challenges, but the spirit and determination remain the same.”

The minister stressed that “the great challenge of this school year—and our greatest victory—will be to make every day of learning sustainable.” She emphasized that this school year “is designed with flexibility and individualized responses in mind. Every school, every region, every community has its own conditions and possibilities, and that is why decisions will be made at the local level.”

The minister thanked the teachers, who are hard at work preparing for the new school year, for their heroism; and she asked families for their trust and participation. She also extended a message to the students:

“We want you to know that this school year will be a challenge, but also an opportunity. Know that your smiles, your curiosity, and your desire to learn are the main reason for our efforts.”

Source: Cuba en Resumen