Despite Cuba's Teacher Shortage, Fidel Castro Doubts that "we're so bad."

Despite Cuba's Teacher Shortage, Fidel Castro Doubts that "we're so bad."
Ray Sanchez | Direct from Havana
7:02 AM EDT, July 21, 2008

HAVANA

Former President Fidel Castro has long listed his country's
accomplishments in education and healthcare as pillars of the revolution.

But the convalescing revolutionary, who will celebrate his 82nd birthday
next month, has not taken kindly to a recent spate of bad news on the
education front.

"It would appear our country has the most problems with education of any
in the world," Castro wrote in the state press on Sunday, days after the
Cuban government made public a decree calling back retired teachers amid
a deficit of secondary school instructors. "I don't believe, in the
first place, that we're so bad."

Recent declarations by government officials and reports in the official
press have highlighted some problems, including a deficit of more than
8,000 teachers.

"We don't become discouraged by the news of enemies, who twist the
meaning of our words and present our self-criticism as tragedies,"
Castro wrote.

"The United States and other rich countries can't measure up" to
socialist Cuba in education," he said. "They have, yes, many more
automobiles, use more gasoline, consume many more drugs, buy more
costume jewelry and benefit from the looting of our people, as they have
for centuries."

Under the new degree, retired teachers can return to the classroom
without losing their pensions. Salaries will be commensurate with their
professional experience at the time of retirement.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/cuba/sfl-0721havanadaily,0,1997394.column