Education & Youth
Cuba schools to reopen as eastern blackout ends
Cuba's new school year will start on September 1 as planned, Education Minister Naima Trujillo said on August 27, despite rolling blackouts, shortages and a major power failure in the east that was later restored.
Trujillo said reopening schools would be a challenge and that schools would tolerate students arriving late or without uniforms because of the crisis. “The biggest challenge of this school year will be to simply have it at all,” she said.
Shortly after she spoke, Union Electrica de Cuba said power had been knocked out in four of eastern Cuba's five provinces. The utility said a transmission failure had cut electricity supplies from three power plants. Several hours later, it said power had been restored.
Cuba is facing electricity rationing and shortages of fuel, drinking water and subsidized food. Recent power cuts have lasted up to 30 hours in Havana and for days in rural areas.
The Trump administration has tightened sanctions on Cuba, and Washington began blocking oil shipments to the island in January. Yannay Miranda, the mother of a six-year-old girl, said she would try to get her daughter to school so she “doesn't stop learning.”
Update
Union Electrica de Cuba said power was restored several hours after a blackout affected four of eastern Cuba's five provinces.
Education Minister Naima Trujillo said, “The biggest challenge of this school year will be to simply have it at all.”
Yannay Miranda, the mother of a six-year-old girl, said she would try to get her daughter to school so she would not stop learning.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 August 2026 at 02:52:14 UTC.
Update
Cuba's national electricity company said power was knocked out in four of eastern Cuba's five provinces.
Union Electrica de Cuba said a transmission failure severed electricity supplies from three power plants.
Education Minister Naima Trujillo said schools would tolerate students arriving late or not wearing uniforms.
Recent power cuts were reported to have lasted up to 30 hours in Havana and for days in rural areas.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 August 2026 at 20:17:36 UTC.
Update
Education Minister Naima Trujillo confirmed the school year would begin as planned on September 1.
Trujillo said restarting classes presented a “challenge”.
The item specifies rolling blackouts and chronic food and fuel shortages as the conditions affecting the restart.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 August 2026 at 19:20:12 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The detailed local impact of the restored eastern blackout was not clear.
Source
AFP news report published on .