A journey through the José Martí Vocational Institute of Exact Sciences in Holguín reveals a grim reality of neglect and disrepair at one of Cuba's once-celebrated educational institutions. The campus, which used to be a bustling hub of academic excellence, now languishes with collapsed dormitories, unused pools, and trees sprouting amidst the rubble.
A video released on June 25 on Leo's Travel YouTube channel, co-created with content creator Luix Alquimista, captures this poignant scene of lost potential and frustration. The footage shows dormitory blocks labeled A, B, C, and D stripped of windows, stairs, and overtaken by rampant vegetation. Sports fields are overgrown, and the three Olympic-sized pools have been defunct for years.
"Everything is destroyed, completely overtaken by nature. Look at these trees growing," one narrator remarks as they navigate the overrun inner pathways. A former student, who attended the school from 2008 to 2011, reflects on the current disrepair, noting that even during his time, several blocks were already deteriorating. Today, the residential areas are entirely uninhabitable.
"I'm certain that these parts have been unlivable for quite some time due to extensive destruction," he admitted. The central building, once home to computer and science labs, was temporarily repurposed as a field hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, units 1 and 2 served various educational purposes, including as a school for art instructors and a teacher training facility. "Still, there's no excuse for this level of destruction. It was a nationwide project, and just look at it now," the narrator laments.
"This is like a horror movie. The saddest part is thinking about how many people passed through here, how many joyful moments were shared. It's sheer madness," Luix Alquimista summarizes, reflecting on the haunting visuals.
When asked if restoration was possible, the video’s narrator was doubtful: "Many things would need to be started from scratch. Specialists would be required." Nearly five decades after its founding, the José Martí Vocational School remains largely a memory.
The school was officially opened on September 4, 1977, by dictator Fidel Castro (1926-2016). It was the second-largest of its kind in Cuba, following the capital’s Vladimir I. Lenin Vocational School, and stood as a national landmark for academic achievement for many years.
At its inception, the school boasted 75 classrooms, 14 physics labs, 12 biology labs, three Olympic pools, two amphitheaters, and multiple sports facilities. It attracted top students from Holguín, Granma, and Las Tunas.
The Broader Collapse of Educational Institutions in Cuba
The deterioration of the Holguín vocational school is not unique. The systematic dismantling of such institutions began in 2009 and was cemented by the Communist Party's Guideline 148 in 2011, which reduced boarding programs.
The Antonio Maceo Vocational Institute in Santiago de Cuba closed permanently in June 2022 due to severe structural damage, and the Vladimir I. Lenin Vocational School in Havana is also crumbling.
This collapse is part of a larger trend of decay affecting Holguín, known as the Cuban City of Parks. The Fernando de Dios Buñuel Sports Center is now overrun with stagnant water and weeds; the Manuel Pirijod, opposite General Calixto García Stadium, is flooded and turned into a dumping ground.
Similarly, El Mambisito Park in the iconic Mayabe Valley has become a cluster of empty structures, and the former Holguín-Gibara railway station now serves as a dumping site.
Understanding the Decline of Cuban Educational Institutions
What led to the decline of the José Martí Vocational School?
The decline began with systematic dismantling initiated in 2009, formalized by Communist Party's Guideline 148 in 2011, reducing boarding provisions and leading to neglect and disrepair.
How was the José Martí Vocational School significant in Cuba?
At its peak, it was the second-largest vocational school in Cuba, providing excellent academic opportunities and facilities, and attracting top students from nearby regions.
Are there plans to restore the vocational school?
Restoration would require starting from scratch with the help of specialists, but there is skepticism about the feasibility given the extent of the current damage.