Clichés / Regina Coyula

Older teachers have returned to the classrooms years after leaving their profession, a good sign after the “instant teachers” as popular wisdom was given to calling the failed experiment of the “Comprehensive General Teachers.” They have guaranteed the basic study materials and uniforms, cleaned and painted the schools, found new urban premises and deactivated the high schools in the countryside (which I believe will now be reconditioned as housing). All this is good news.

Now comes the bad news. Another turn of the screw of the subsuming teaching in ideology. I heard that the Minister of Higher Education of the opening of a course said that our students must be loyal to Fidel, Raul and the Nation. What madness from this minister, demanding loyalty to two masters, who, if things in Cuba went right, would be retired public servants, having many years ago been held accountable to the people and we wouldn’t have this role reversal so convenient to the powers-that-be. Putting the county last in that line shows clearly what is important to the Minister, who we know does not improvise, and explains the apolitical or post-patriotic reaction of so many young people.

Naming a recently opened high school in the Arroya Naranjo municipality none other than Kim Il Sung School, is taking a position, I don’t know why they don’t name another after Joseph Stalin or Pol Pot, no?

My son is doing his military service this year, but will be starting University next year. He will fulfill his childhood dream of going to the Coppelia ice cream stand whenever he wants because the department is right across from the central ice cream stand. I worry about him developing as a good professional, being honest, being supportive, not having at his disposal an arsenal of slogans to use as a double standard and two-faced, as a colorful commentator said over here.

I could be disinterested in the rest if mine is on his way. But they do interest me. The future of this country passes through the recently opened classrooms, although that is also a cliché.

September 9 2011