We were studying the Cuban educational system at the Centro de Estudianos Martianos. That is not the study of Martians, it is the study of the Cuban National Hero and Educator José Martí. José Martí, we learned, introduced the concept of popular education to the Cuban people. His philosophy on experiential learning, critical pedagogy and lifelong learning were adopted by Fidel Castro and disseminated broadly during and after the Cuban Revolution. Martí’s work was well ahead of his time, as he had the radical idea back in the late 19th century, that women and people of all nationalities and ethnicities should have equal access to public education.
In the Centro, the words of one person will
forever speak to my heart. Here are some translated excerpts and I only hope I
do justice to the intended meanings:
“I used to live with the rhythm of
my society and fight against the enemy – a difficult vision and difficult life
that many have not resisted.”
“This is an idea that I had all
these years:
We
thought at the beginning and were convinced that we would have new growth – but
it is very difficult. It is easier to have political power. When I was young, I
saw [political power] as though it were gold – this is just foolishness. To
think that it is easy to change economic structures to create a new society for
people who have different ideas. Those people [foolish people] think that. How
can they be reached? The problem is in education. If it does not change, then
you cannot change society. The revolution will last forever. Any [outside]
country cannot destroy the revolution. It persists, it destroys from the
inside. The fundamental idea of the revolution [should be] education… we need
more educational tools to avoid reproducing a system without freedom.”
We also
study the way that career development and career training is systematized in
Cuba. For example, there is a specific branch of the educational system devoted
to adult learners who are changing careers or are interested in progressing in
their career. They attend an evening university which is named “Workers and
Peasants Faculty,” an interesting name which does not convey university status
in my mind. Usually a student will further the career path that he or she is
already taking (based on an elaborate system of testing and tracking during
primary and secondary schooling). With the permission of their boss, though,
some students are able to actually switch careers, provided that they meet the
academic requirements of the new career choice.
One big
problem in Cuba is the movement of so many people from their trained careers
into tourism. Because tourism is the primary source of economic flow into the
country, the government provides an incentive for working in the tourism industry:
$25 per month. Therefore, many skilled workers and academics move into the
tourism industry (driving taxis, hosting at hotels and bars, working as tour
guides or security personnel, etc.), abandoning jobs which are needed for a
functioning society. Additionally, by becoming part of the tourism industry,
individuals have direct access to tips, which bring in more than their base
salary and which they would not be able survive without receiving.
According
to one of our guides, doctors are the primary export of Cuba. Well educated and
trained doctors are sent abroad to practice medicine, since the doctors are
Cuban nationals, a large part of their income is given to the government. A
doctor in Cuba makes about $40 per month. Healthcare is free for everyone. By
many accounts, the medical system is very advanced and very good; however, medicine
and supplies are very difficult to obtain due to the blockade. Because of this,
local remedies and traditional medicine are common.
Everywhere
I went, I learned. From the Center to the Museums and even during downtime from
the local people, I was like a kid in a candy shop of knowledge. I am having a
hard time imagining a moment when I was not learning something or seeing
something that caused me to think in a new way or to understand people in a way
that I had not understood them before. Granted, I can learn anywhere. I also
love people. And, I have a desire to work in developing countries where
political issues are sticky and toilets are rare, if they exist at all. So, my
predisposition set me up for a great learning experience.
If I had all the time in the world, I would photo-document the locations of all the José Martí memorials in Cuba and create a "Where's Waldo?" style game with them using Google Earth. Perhaps in the next life...
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