More than nine thousand third grade students in Granma province changed their blue scarves for red ones and from Moncadista pioneers they become members of a unique organization in the world: the José Martí Pioneers Organization (OPJM).

(By: Yanelkys Llera Céspedes)

Just on the date marked on the island for the Day of Cuban Culture (October 20), the brigade stands out as a space for the dissemination and defense of traditions, popular practices and artistic manifestations, which -by its hand- reach the communities most remote of the largest of the Antilles.

According to the entity’s national president, Emilio Toledo, among the actions, the Get closer initiative stands out, developed by the organization’s muralist network in prisons, as well as the photographic exhibition My brigade is still here, installed in the Casa del Alba Cultural .

Forums, concerts, workshops, historical routes and presentations for infants, appear in the calendar of proposals that since last October 5 bring closer to the work of the entity, which since its foundation seeks to transform the socio-cultural environment, raise aesthetic tastes and promote artistic and human values.

With the premise of preserving youth and extolling identity and Cubanness in all spaces, the Brigade dedicated the activities of this birthday to the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Nueva Trova Movement, to the 55th anniversary of the Protest Song and to the 60th of the art education system.

Likewise, the 50th anniversary guerrillas carry out various actions, especially in territories of the province of Pinar del Río, recently affected by the impact of Hurricane Ian.

As an idea of ​​Commander Fidel Castro, the José Martí Brigades of Art Instructors emerged in 2004, an organization that honors the social work of these professionals and enhances Cuban culture from the commitment to bring art and critical thinking to the greatest of The Antilles.

(With information from Prensa Latina)

On his Twitter account, the president congratulated teachers, workers and students of this education and recalled the years when he worked in that body.

That period of work there brought me closer to universities, the Head of State wrote on the social network, adding that this stage allowed him to reaffirm the conviction that the country’s future also lies in them.

According to the Minister of Higher Education, José Ramón Saborido, the Caribbean nation has a powerful educational system created by the Revolution, which is steered towards the development of the country.

The island has a network of universities and science and technological innovation entities committed to the Cuban social project, within which 50 higher education centers with 113 specialties.

Most institutions of this level in Cuba were created after 1959, and since then they have undergone various transformations seeking greater quality and efficiency in the training of new professionals.

MES was founded on July 19, 1976, due to the growth and strategic importance of university development.

Currently its work is focused on finding solutions to the main problems of the country, students and professors are in the front line of work in tasks of social impact, such as fighting Covid-19-

(Taken from Prensa Latina)

To build this wall,

Bring me all hands:

Blacks, their black hands,

Whites, their white hands

Nicolas Guillen

Racism – that barbaric myth of our time – lies in the subconscious and must be eliminated altogether. It is the child of prejudice, another scar on the human species that does as much psychological damage to the victim as the perpetrator. Anthropologist Ashley Montagu, in a dramatic statement, said, “The fallacy of race is the most damaging of human myths.”

And José Martí expressed it with metaphorical wit and ethical depth: “In this world there is only one inferior race, that of those who value above all their own interests, and is there only one superior race: that of those who value above all human interests.”

Martí stated: “There is no race hatred because there are no races.” Nonetheless, we regret that today in our country there are vestiges of an absurd racism that we know was born of the blind greed generated by the slave trade and the infamous ideological system that supported it in an attempt to consolidate a supremacist social hierarchy.

Fernando Ortiz understood early on that racism against black men and women was directly related to colonialism and slavery. He rejected the idea of Africa as a ‘dark’ continent and dedicated practically his entire life to reevaluating the country’s diverse African cultures with the goal of contributing to the integration of the Cuban nation and to the identity of our people. He was, no doubt, a pioneer of such efforts, as were José Martí and Nicolás Guillén.

Eradicating racist sentiments is not only the work of therapists. It is necessary to investigate in the cultures of the African peoples who bequeathed to Cuba an immense cosmic and artistic treasure. Erasing the perfidious murmur of the subconscious is key, since this is where racial prejudice is cradled. The flowers of the desert must be watered with sand. Only in this way can we see the flowering of a pure and transparent consciousness.

Racial discrimination expresses the most spurious feelings of the human species, and it is sanctioned by law, because it is a crime against culture. Every nightmare that leads to a violation must be uprooted. To leave dark areas in the subconscious means never overcoming them, maintaining their presence. The triumph of reason and the birth of a humanistic civilization must be celebrated. This is the path we wish to travel to reach the clear horizon.

Proclaiming the existence of races is as absurd as the efforts of theologians in the Middle Ages to count the number of angels that could dance on a pinhead. The eradication of racism is today a priority in Cuban educational programs, and the emphasis on a more inclusive and non-prejudicial culture must also be consolidated as a central objective of our country’s social project. “Cubanness is not in the blood, it lies principally in the peculiarity of a culture, that of Cuba,” Fernando Ortiz insisted.

“Everything that divides men, everything that specifies, sets apart or corners them, is a sin against humanity,” wrote José Martí. And of course, this statement applies to all types of discrimination.

Racism is a diabolical cultural construct that does not validate human nature, and is incompatible with socialism. Fidel Castro made this clear with his thinking, founded on that of Martí and Maceo, and his emancipatory action. Once again he anticipated the designs of history.

(Taken from Granma)

The Héroes del Moncada School is one of these, located in a historic mansion under the sponsorship of the Camagüey City Historian’s Office, which assumed the remodeling of the building and maintains close ties with students here via its extensive network of cultural institutions.

The school has occupied the stately manor, located near centrally located Agramonte Park, since conditions were created here, four years ago, to meet the requirements of the teaching-learning, psycho-pedagogical process inherent in this type of special education program.

The school is the only one its kind in the province, and serves children from throughout the region, with a current enrollment of 24 children (21 boys and three girls), who are carefully attended by 40 members of the staff which includes teachers, specialists, educational aides, and support personnel.

The children’s parents, facing the pain of having a child with this neurological disorder, are the first to express their gratitude for the sensitivity and dedication they witness in the arduous, daily work done at the school, that requires infinite patience and a high level of professional qualification.

MEETING CHILDREN’S NEEDS

The capital renovation process at theHéroes del Moncada was conducted in three stages and included work on the lobby, seven classrooms, the kitchen, dining room, computer lab, library, nurse’s office, bathrooms, teaching departments, as well as a home economics and handicrafts workshop.

Staff director Yudelis Pérez Carlos explained, “Given that it was an old building, we had to re-distribute the physical space, provide better lighting and ventilation conditions, and adding areas for alternative therapies, as well, in order to meet the specific needs of students.”

A quick tour of the institution was enough to make clear the careful design of each of the classrooms, featuring mirrors for the work of speech therapists and photographs identifying teachers, aides, and the students themselves, to better orient the children inside the school.

The director reported that through international cooperation projects, expected soon is specialized equipment to support diagnoses, which should in turn contribute to improving the quality of life of these youngsters and their later preparation for independence as adults.

“Today,” Pérez continued, “we enjoy this beautiful, functional school, the product of the efforts and perseverance of workers in the Historian’s Office, who put their intelligence and their hearts into this project of love that honors and dignifies them before society.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DIAGNOSES

Concerned about certain behaviors exhibited by their children, that could indicate autism, parents approach the school in search of information. The first step in such cases, is an evaluation by the Diagnostic and Orientation Center (CDO), and next a multi-disciplinary consultation meeting to decide how to proceed.

The director explains, “Practice has shown that intervention beginning at an early age, along with the application of inclusive educational models, constitutes the best route to inserting these children in the social environment. Thus the vital importance of making an early diagnosis.”

The right combination of the two factors contributes to a more rapid adjustment by the children to social interaction with unknown persons in open spaces. Thus the importance of regular outings around the city, visits to museums, participation in cultural events, as well as therapy with horses and other animals.

No less vital is the almost daily interaction with parents, always attentive to their children’s educational progress and acquisition of skills, which they complement in the home with exercises and homework that are explained to them, to give continuity to the school’s educational process.

“Depending on the needs families may have,” Pérez continued, “every month we additionally hold training days with the participation of specialists in neurology, psychology, and juvenile psychiatry to share new knowledge and clarify any questions parents have about their child’s treatment.”

STIMULATING COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL INTERACTION

Teacher Daidé Alejo Oquendo has more than 40 years’ experience in the classroom, with a good portion of this in special education, “Work,” she says, “that requires putting into practice skills, strategies and educational responses that allow the autistic child to experience better development and evolution.”

“This job,” she continued, “requires a great deal of patience and love for what you are doing, being flexible, attempting to reach your goals without having to impose anything on the children, but rather joining them in their concerns and needs, and meeting the selected objective via personalized attention.”

Daidé is in charge of the home economics workshop, one the key areas where autistic children are prepared for life. Thus, all students in the school spend time with her, learning how to make a bed, dress themselves and bathe, or make a salad, wash dishes, sweep and dust the furniture in a room.

“The purpose,” she adds, “is to contribute to breaking the self-isolation in which they are immersed, improving verbal and non-verbal expression, building social relations and improve, as much as possible, communication and the ability to live with others, two of the principal problems that generally affect them.”

This will be one more reason for staff at the Héroes del Moncada School to celebrate International Autism Awareness Day, April 2, alongside all of society, as another opportunity to reflect and build understanding of a disorder that requires a special dose of tenderness.

Specifications:

-A total of 435 special education schools exist in Cuba, with an enrollment of some 33,639 girls, boys, and adolescents. Of this number, 443 students (199 female and 244 male) exhibit autistic spectrum disorders.

-There are nine schools specifically focused on comprehensively assistance for autistic children: La Habana (4), Pinar del Río (1), Holguín (1), Santiago de Cuba (1) Cienfuegos (1) and Camagüey (1).

These boys, girls, and adolescents do not only receive support in these comprehensive institutions, but also in other specific centers where communication and intellectual disabilities are addressed, and in the general education system where they can also be served.

-Some 256 students identified as having autistic spectrum disorders attend general education schools in Cuba, and receive comprehensive attention in an inclusive environment.

This disorder, which appears with more frequency among boys than girls, is defined by the inability to establish habitual contact with other persons. These children may exhibit a variety of indicators of autism that include difficulty speaking and avoidance of eye contact. They often do not play with peers, cannot control their emotions, are upset by changes in daily routines and easily distracted, make repetitive movements with their hands or heads, constantly rock their bodies, persist in specific activities or follow specific patterns of behavior.

(Source: Granma)

This global monitoring mechanism is used to evaluate progress on Sustainable Development Goal (SDA) No. 4: Ensure inclusive, equitable, quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

The 2020 report emphasizes that Cuba has achieved 100% participation in early childhood education, in accordance with target 4.2 of this goal: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood care and development and preschool education, so that they are ready for primary school.”

Yahima Esquivel, Cuba’s permanent representative to UNESCO, noted on her Twitter account that the report “recognizes the effectiveness of the Cuban program “Educate your Child” in ensuring inclusive, quality education from early childhood and in rural contexts,” and praises “Cuba’s Sex Education Program, highlighting its preventive approach, gender and sexual rights, throughout the basic curriculum, optional courses and postgraduate studies.”

The diplomat likewise commented on the international organization’s recognition of Cuba exemplary work on inclusion of students with special needs in the conventional education system.

Once again, UNESCO recognizes the leadership of Cuba in this sector at the world level, a nation that in Article 73 of its Constitution states, “Education is a right of all persons and a responsibility of the state, which guarantees free, accessible, quality education services for comprehensive development, from early childhood to postgraduate university education.”

(Source: Granma)

A national television report noted that Cuba participated in the first two studies, in 1997 and 2006, and now the fourth, conducted May 30-31, 2019, with tests administered to students in third and sixth grades, in 251 primary schools across the country.

During the research, which was carried out without incident and with the participation of national and international observers, the best results were achieved by sixth-grade students, on the Spanish language exam.

Also discussed during the meeting were proposals to introduce automation and robotics at different educational levels, taking into consideration experience gained at Enrique José Varona Higher Institute of Pedagogy; the universities of Pinar del Río, Oriente, and Las Villas; as well as José Antonio Echevarría Technological University of Havana. Meanwhile the children’s technological park Finca de los Monos is preparing its first courses to introduce the fascinating world of robotics to the country’s budding scientists. The eight-week classes are set to begin in April.

“Just imagine the changes this will bring to society, when youngsters start learning robotics, when people start looking for other types of solutions to common problems,” Díaz-Canel remarked.

During the meeting, with Deputy Prime Minister Roberto Morales Ojeda and Party Secretariat member Olga Lidia Tapia Iglesias participating, additionally reviewed was progress being made on the implementation of agreements reached during the Federation of University Students Congress, held last March. The organization’s president, José A. Fernández Castañeda, reported that, of the 158 plans adopted, 82 have been implemented, 20 are in process, and 46 are of an ongoing nature.

(Granma)

The Cuban president was accompanied by Minister of Education Dr. Ena Elsa Velázquez Cobiella; Vice President Dr. Roberto Morales Ojeda; as well as Party and government authorities in Havana.

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“We must try to repair everything that is broken. This will allow us, as the Ministry of Education, to save the country money and contribute to the economy,” she said.

Other issues, addressed in the conversation with the press, included the recent salary increase for teachers and professors, and planned improvements in attention provided staff.

“The most important impact of the salary increase will be a turnaround in the quality of work done in our educational institutions, beginning September 2, greater commitment to preparation, more consistent, systematic, and rigorous work in the comprehensive education of our children, adolescents, and youth.

“We have insisted in the provinces that regardless of the salary increase, attention and incentives for teachers must be maintained and perfected,” the Minister added.

She noted that the first stage of uniform sales began as planned in all provinces, and that the second is in progress in all but five, adding, “The total production requested, more than 3.5 million pieces of clothing, is ready and distributed to warehouses.”

(Granma)

At another point, Dr. Velázquez spoke of the responsibility the Ministry has in promoting knowledge and respect for the new Constitution of the Republic and recently approves laws on national symbols and elections.

August 14-22, Ministry of Education leaders toured all the country’s provinces and the Isle of Youth special municipality, visiting educational institutions, as projected during visits conducted by President Díaz-Canel on previous occasions.

Regarding what was seen in different parts of the country, the Minister stated: “There is a good work environment, a commitment from teachers that the 2019-2020 academic year will be better, one of transformation in the quality of our national educational system.”

THE 2019–2020 ACADEMIC YEAR IN FIGURES

More than 1,700,000 students enrolled

More than 65,000 students in boarding schools

More than 761,000 students provided partial boarding

More than 10,700 educational institutions

Staffing is projected to be 95% complete

Some 5,813 new teachers, graduates with Bachelor and Associate degrees programs

3,810 students in the final year of their pedagogical university programs will be working full-time in schools.

29 pedagogical schools with some 28,000 students enrolled

1,412 facilities scheduled for maintenance and repair

82.8% of computer equipment available in good repair

More than 155,000 classroom teachers.

“What you are doing is Fidel Castro’s dream. Without his idea it would not have been possible to have a school that has trained students from Third World countries, who would not have had the possibility of studying medicine had they not been given an opportunity at this school, of a scholarship that provides everything free of charge,” stated the Cuban ambassador to Colombia, José Luis Ponce, speaking with the young people and their families at El Dorado International Airport.

“We are sure that you appreciate the love with which we give you this and how we share what we have, not what we have left over,” said Ponce on a day when Cubans commemorate the 93rd anniversary of Fidel’s birth.

The diplomat said that over the next two years, 1,000 students on scholarships, donated by the Cuban government to the Colombian people, will begin their studies in Cuba to support their re-integration into society with the signing in 2016 of the Peace Agreement between the Colombian state and FARC-EP guerrillas.

(Granma)

Victims of the conflict, former guerrillas, relatives of troops, and the population in rural regions of the country, according to Prensa Latina, are included in the group of approximately 200 young people who will begin their studies at ELAM this year.

(Granma)