Only 464 students passed the university entrance exams in Las Tunas; more than 600 did not even show up

The educational crisis in Las Tunas becomes more evident with each university admission process, as this year only 464 students managed to pass the three required exams (Mathematics, Spanish, and History of Cuba), while over 600 young people did not even show up for the tests.

The data revealed at a press conference by officials from the Provincial Income Commission uncovers a worrying combination of demotivation, academic failure, and structural decline.

Although a significant number of young people simply chose not to participate, the authorities still insist on presenting the results as "positive," claiming that among those approved, there was a 93.23% satisfaction rate in career assignments.

According to the figures, 327 students gained access to their first choice of career, 83 to their second, and 23 to their third. However, outside of that group, another 213 failed at least one of the exams, and 606 did not take the exams and now depend on a reassignment to available careers, indicated the official newspaper 26.

Manuel Guerrero Batista, the executive secretary of the commission, detailed that there are still 1,809 positions to be assigned, which equates to 2.2 possible majors per student who has not yet passed. Among the available options are Medicine (166), Nursing (162), Physical Culture (77), Agronomy (50), Accounting and Finance (31), Law (21), and engineering fields such as Civil, Hydraulic, and Electrical.

The authorities acknowledged that the results for the province were "slightly lower" than the previous year, with income sources showing extremely high failure rates. All the students from the Sports Initiation School (EIDE) failed at least one exam, and the competition also recorded "very high figures for failures."

Even with such results, "the province remains among those with the best indicators in Cuba in these endeavors," the media outlet assured.

The process for filling out forms for those who suspended will be open until June 10; their allocations will be announced on the 13th. For those who did not show up, the procedure will extend until the 21st, with results announced on the 23rd, he specified.

The urgent issue, however, does not seem to be filling out forms at the last minute, but rather addressing why hundreds of young people in Las Tunas saw no point in taking the exam at all.

At the beginning of May, the newspaper noted that more than 700 students from Pre-University Education should present themselves, the main source of admission to the daytime courses at Cuban universities,

Other modalities for accessing higher education include winners of contests (international, national, or provincial), who choose University Colleges, people who have been demobilized from Active Military Service or Voluntary Female Service, cadets from the Ministry of the Interior, students in modular courses, students from the EIDE, and those applying to programs with special requirements (such as International Relations or the Higher Institute of Art), among others.

For the past two years, the Ministry of Higher Education of Cuba has maintained a schedule for the delivery of university courses, which includes those who have suspended their studies and even those who did not show up for the entrance exams.

In April, access was confirmed for university courses and higher technical training programs for students who suspend their entrance exams or even for those who do not show up for the tests. Approval with a minimum of 60 points will not be an indispensable requirement to secure a university spot, stated the official newspaper Granma.

Shortly before, it was announced that pre-university students who wish to pursue a career in Medical Sciences will not even need to take entrance exams, further relaxing the requirements for access to higher education.

Recently, the newspaper Escambray, from Sancti Spíritus, acknowledged that for several years now, "the number of young people who prepare for and take the entrance exams has decreased significantly, whether due to personal, family, or economic reasons."

This year in Guantánamo only 47.2% of the students who took the exam passed the Mathematics test.

In 2023, nearly half of the students who took the university entrance exams were failed, highlighting the serious crisis of the Cuban educational system that has the regime making adjustments to conceal the dire state of the sector.

Almost 20% of university students in Sancti Spíritus left their studies in 2022, as reported by the official press. Among the main reasons for dropping out are the multisystem crisis in Cuba, which drives many university students to pursue a race against time for independence or to financially support a deeply deteriorated family economy.

Other issues that contributed to this, according to the report, were the lack of training and vocation, as well as insufficient teaching staff. Although it was not mentioned as one of the possible motivations, a large number of young people are choosing to emigrate due to the economic and social deterioration on the island.

Frequently Asked Questions about University Admission and the Educational Situation in Cuba