National authorities spoke on La Mesa Redonda TV program to refer to the new measures the Cuban government is adopting to counteract and keep going in the face of US aggressive policy focused now on blocking the supply of oil to the Caribbean island nation.
Dr. Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto, Cuba’s Minister of Education, announced today on Cuban television the main measures that will be implemented in general education as part of the national strategy to confront the current scenario of US aggression against Cuba.
The Minister emphasized that the strategy is strengthened through ongoing dialogue with all members of the educational community, while also appreciating the opportunity to appear on television to inform families directly.
Among the measures announced by the Minister for each level of general education is the adjustment of school schedules to optimize energy use and guarantee teacher coverage in all areas of primary education.
For junior high school, the plan includes increased use of printed materials and alternative teaching resources, along with the rational use of available technologies. Meanwhile, pre-university education will focus on greater flexibility in curricula and strengthening vocational guidance. Regarding technical and vocational education, greater collaboration with local production sectors is planned, adapting practical training to current energy conditions, while special education will maintain personalized attention and inclusive programs.
“I believe it is vital that everything established and defined be done with everyone’s participation, because that will allow us to do it better and collectively monitor the results,” stated the Minister of Education.
Reporting on the actions the country is taking to confront the intensification of US aggression against Cuba, the Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, explained that with the available fuel, it is essential to ensure the sector’s core activities.
On Cuban television, Rodríguez Dávila explained that these include extraction, port and airport operations, the distribution of major cargo arriving in the country, food, and medical supplies. In other words, there is a priority, and all transport related to imports and exports will be ensured and maintained to the extent possible amidst the current situation.
At the national level, these systems are operating systematically for cargo and passenger transportation, as explained by the Minister of Transportation. He stated that domestic flight schedules are being maintained, according to airline availability, and that international airports are currently operating without difficulty.
He added that transportation for teachers and students within the country’s education system is also being ensured, based on the needs of these institutions.
Correspondingly, transportation for employees arriving in and departing the country has been organized and guaranteed, according to agreed-upon travel plans. Adjustments have been made to all major national activities, resulting in a decrease in freight services, which include general event transportation. This needs to be rationalized at this time, he noted.
Regarding national buses, he specified that adjustments are being made to maintain a system of daily departures to provincial capitals, similar to what has been done previously, albeit with certain limitations. Passengers with tickets purchased for bus, rail, or maritime travel, whose departures have been canceled and who do not wish to travel, should go to the nearest ticket sales agency to receive a refund, he explained.
Student and teacher transportation on school buses will be adjusted to meet the needs of these groups, while transportation to special education schools and Medibus services with Ómnibus Nacionales will continue on their current schedules. Conversely, daily transportation for workers provided by Transmetro and other operators within the country is suspended, except for trips to ports, airports, and other priority destinations.
Jesús Otamendiz Campos, Minister of Labor and Social Security, stated today on the television and radio program Mesa Redonda that the Cuban government maintains the protection of workers’ rights as a priority, despite the difficulties arising from the intensification of hostility from the United States against Cuba.
The minister explained that measures were adopted to guarantee the continuity of employment and salary, including the expansion of teleworking, remote work and adjustments to working hours due to the current energy crisis.
He emphasized that the managers of each entity must apply these modalities flexibly and, in the event of worker relocation, prioritize placement in strategic sectors such as basic services, food production, and agricultural work.
Otamendiz Campos noted that, in cases where these alternatives are not feasible, current legislation provides for work interruption, which guarantees employees payment of a salary equivalent to their base pay for the first month.
(With information from ACN)
