The renowned Vladimir Ilich Lenin Vocational Pre-University Institute of Exact Sciences (IPVCE), Cuba's most prestigious high-performance school, is enduring the 2026-2027 academic year without breakfast in its dining hall, with limited electricity, and inadequate water supply to upper dormitory levels.
According to IPS Cuba, the academic institution commenced its term on September 14 with an enrollment of over 1,200 students, yet only provides lunch and dinner. Breakfast has been eliminated from the dining options.
The report does not specify when this decision was implemented. The meals offered are inconsistent, primarily consisting of rice, peas, and root vegetable puree. Families are left to supplement meals with protein and provide breakfast.
A tenth-grade student expressed the difficulties faced, stating, "Electricity is only available for a few hours daily. Once classes end and we return to the dorms, it's challenging to manage in the dark."
While water reaches the ground-floor dormitories, it fails to reach the second, third, and fourth floors. In response, students have adapted by cooking in the dorms with electric pots, rechargeable fans, lamps, and portable energy stations.
The school's cafeterias have been leased to private management, with prices described by boarders as exorbitant for the average income. Due to a fuel crisis, students can leave the boarding school every 15 days, extending stays and increasing family expenses for food and supplies.
The gymnasium, court, and cinema have been under renovation for over five years, with no completion date, preventing any current students from using these facilities.
Medical attention at the school partially relies on external donations. The project "A Cuba hay que quererla," coordinated by Dr. Amado Riol, provided the Lenin health area with first-aid supplies, medications, and other resources.
As early as August, some families reported the school would face the year short of 400 mattresses, unresolved water supply issues, and possible power outages lasting up to 20-22 hours a day. On August 27, Education Minister Naima Trujillo acknowledged, "We're starting the year with all these challenges."
Meanwhile, the Havana government shared images on their Facebook page from a visit to the school on September 16, showcasing the science museum, decorated hallways, and well-organized classrooms, yet omitting the realities of food, water, and electricity conditions.
Challenges Facing Lenin Vocational School
What are the main issues faced by Lenin Vocational School?
The school faces a lack of breakfast, limited electricity, inadequate water supply to upper floors, and expensive cafeteria prices.
How are students coping with the lack of resources?
Students are improvising by cooking with electric pots, using rechargeable fans, lamps, and portable energy stations in the dormitories.
What support is the school receiving for medical needs?
Medical support partially comes from external donations, including first-aid supplies and medications provided by the "A Cuba hay que quererla" project.