Successfully completing a university degree is still a common point in the life project of many young Cubans. The desire to exercise professionally what was once a vocation always prevails; and it is also a good way to ensure the future in the working world.
However, university students are not exempt from the economic crisis and the shortages faced by the country, which often threaten the illusion of reaching the end of the goal. These situations are aggravated for students who do not live in the provincial capitals, because the urgency of travel, food and other basic needs, make the study stage more complex.
The municipality of Contramaestre, approximately 80 kilometers away from the provincial capital, is on the list of those affected. However, the situation is not the same for all young people, since each one lives different realities and the family and economic context varies considerably.
The aspirations in the professional order are a choice of each student, which passes through their own criteria and, sometimes, through that of parents and other family members. Among their alternatives, the courses by meeting and short-cycle careers stand out, which offer a greater margin of convenience in terms of time and attendance.
In this regard, Barbara Donet Olivera, director of the university center in the municipality of Contramaestre, commented:
“The country guarantees continuity of studies for all students. To cite an example, at the Universidad de Oriente there are more than 65 courses for the daytime course. In the municipality, we have nine careers of different profiles for which students can choose. We are meeting more than 93.8 percent of the enrollment in this modality”.
The current economic and social scenario may influence the students’ interests, but, in any case, the decision to go to university continues to be a priority, since it is a question of the personal future as well as that of an important part of society.
Study and academic improvement are a matter of order. Cuban university students today, even amidst dissimilar challenges, say yes to learning and instruction.
