Leodán Acosta came with his mother, Angela María, to complete the necessary paperwork for his admission to the first year of pre-university.
Angela says they had to travel from the Las Casimbas neighborhood, about twelve kilometers from the town of Buenaventura, for her son to enroll. “He completed ninth grade with very good grades, to the point that he took first place in the ranking. I'm glad it's so because young people should dedicate themselves to studying, and this son of mine is as good with numbers as he is with letters,” this young mother says with emotion.
[Parents and teachers putting the finishing touches on a good start.] Parents and teachers putting the finishing touches on a good start.
Leodán says he's willing to finish his pre-university studies and choose a university degree. “Of course I can, I can because I'm determined to do it with study and perseverance. The first duty of a student is to study, and I want to pursue an engineering degree,” he says.
And this journalist is moved to hear from young people like him who, despite the country's difficulties—economic limitations, power outages, and lack of food—are determined to become useful people. "And they don't have to pay a single cent to prepare for life, which is why I always say, 'Go ahead, my son, you can do it.'"
[Laura starts at the Armando Valle López pre-university school] Laura starts at the Armando Valle López pre-university school
The other teenager who came to enroll is Laura—she didn't tell me her last name—"I came from San Agustín de Aguarás to start tenth grade. I know it's very difficult to travel due to the transportation situation, but I will always find a way to get to this urban pre-university school, Armando Valle, on time. If others have traveled and finished their university transcripts, I can do it too," he reaffirms.
Speaking to the press, Professor Rogelia Segura is convinced that this, like others, is a complex course with many challenges, “but when haven't we had setbacks and overcome them? My Spanish class is tasked with ensuring that its students speak and write fluently, with a coherent vocabulary, and that they increasingly develop the habit of good reading and conversation. Nowadays, social media seems to be confusing us because you see and hear both older and younger people glued to their phones, and they don't socialize, don't converse, don't exchange ideas. Let me tell you, I'm not opposed to new technologies as long as they help you grow as good people.”
But Spanish isn't the only subject responsible for this enormous task. “All the others, from spelling, margins and indentation, and concordance, are also the responsibility of the rest of the classes,” emphasizes Professor Rogelia, a distinguished teacher with more than forty years in the classroom.
[Teachers at the Rigoberto Mora School are preparing to develop a quality teaching-learning process.] Teachers at the Rigoberto Mora School are preparing to develop a quality teaching-learning process.
I conclude for now my tour of this educational institution where primary and pre-university education converge. This municipality expects to receive more than six thousand students from different educational levels in its classrooms on September 1st. This teaching staff receives a boost from professionals from different organizations and a responsible salary for those who exceed their hours in front of students. This is Cuban education, the one that forms good men and women, the one that, despite the inconveniences, believes that continuity is possible.
