With Cuts, Free Education is No Longer a Cuban Birthright" - Blog 6

“With Cuts, Free Education is No Longer a Cuban Birthright”

             

             Cuba has been touted for having a free education system for several decades, since the revolution in 1959. The government controls all aspects of the education system, which seems to have had a positive impact on society (Reuters, 2012). Now, severe cuts have been made in the budget for education – according to President Raul Castro, this is because “the debt-laden country could no longer afford to maintain a bloated state bureaucracy” (Reuters, 2012). Student enrollment levels are down "almost 50%...as admission standards were raised and liberal arts careers slashed” (Reuters, 2012). The economy is shifting to be a service-based economy, with “more skilled workers and private farmers…at the high school level [an] emphasis is being put on sciences, pedagogy, agriculture, and skilled trades” (Reuters, 2012). Citizens are feeling the competitive push and are realizing that the benefits of the free education are no more, due to these cuts.

            This article brought to light an interesting system of higher education. I have not heard much about a free education system in Cuba, or anywhere else in the world. I wonder how high their taxes are, and how the government was funding this free education system. It seems as though Cuba is now feeling the crunch of globalization, with higher rates of competition for both jobs and spots in higher education. I think the free education system seems like a good idea in theory, especially since having a free opportunity for education may be the only opportunity that some students have. It will be interesting to see how these budget cuts change the future of students from a low socioeconomic status – will they be reduced to manual labor (which is just as important as a position in the business sector), or will they have the opportunity to pursue their dreams of being doctors, teachers, engineers, military personnel, etc.? I also think it is interesting to imagine this type of free education system in various countries around the world – the United States, Kenya, Ghana, Bulgaria, etc. Could it work? It would certainly increase the number of skilled workers seeking employment, which may not be for the best, given the high levels of competition in today’s international economy.

Reuters. "With Cuts, Free Education Is No Longer a Cuban Birthright - NYTimes.com." The New York Times. N.p., 3 Oct. 2012. Web. 5 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/world/americas/with-cuts-free-education-is-no-longer-a-cuban-birthright.html?src=recg>.