One of the cornerstones of Cuba’s public education policy is to guarantee that all young students receive proper training to adequately prepare to enter the job market. Another government initiative after grade 9 is to prioritize careers and courses that fill the void of professionals in specific sectors of the economy. Roberto Bosch, director of the Junior High School Department at the Ministry of Education, said that the 125,702 students who graduated from grade 9 this year have a guaranteed spot in Senior High School. More than 55,700 students will study at one of the seven types of senior high schools, which include vocational exact sciences institutes and pedagogical sciences institutes. More than 70,000 students have a guaranteed spot in technical or trade high school education. Prioritized specialties in this level include agriculture, construction and transportation; offers to students vary according to the needs of the area where they live. Another prioritized specialty is education, with schools that impart four-year courses to train students as preschool, primary and special education teachers. In the case of the 5,395 students who failed grade 12, they have the opportunity to repeat it in the next academic year or can access the technical high school education offers in the areas where they live, said High School Education Minister Ena Elsa Velazquez to JR. |