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Latin American educational system challenges

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2026-08-27 23:41 UTC → 2026-08-28 04:28 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Latin American educational systems are facing diverse operational, financial, and safety challenges during the 2026 school season. Initial reports highlighted economic and environmental disruptions. In Mexico, families faced a 13.8% increase in back-to-school costs, prompting government-organized supply fairs. In Chile, severe weather and heavy rains led to widespread school closures and a shift to remote learning in certain regions. Meanwhile, Argentina saw calls for national university strikes over inflation and funding laws. As the academic year progressed, the crises evolved to include severe infrastructure and security deficits. Cuba reported that 1.4 million students would return to classes despite energy shortages, fuel scarcity, and a lack of uniforms, with the government using university students to mitigate teacher shortages. In the Dominican Republic, abandoned construction projects and overcrowding left many students without proper facilities, while teachers reported increased physical and verbal hostility. In Ecuador, the El Niño phenomenon threatened school infrastructure, and officials noted a rise in insecurity, citing that 13 teachers were killed between January 2025 and July 2026. In Cuba, the start of the 2026-2027 school year on September 1 faces significant hurdles due to an energy crisis and transport difficulties. Education Minister Naima Trujillo acknowledged these challenges for the 1.4 million students expected to return to classes. To manage frequent power outages and fuel shortages, the Ministry of Education is implementing flexible school hours and relaxed uniform policies, noting that primary school uniform coverage is only 12%. To address a teacher coverage rate of 73%, the government plans to relocate approximately 3,000 teachers from eastern provinces to Havana. Recent power grid failures have caused massive blackouts in provinces including Holguín and Santiago de Cuba, disrupting water and telecommunications. President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated the scheduled reopening serves as evidence that the country is not in a state of collapse.

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