Lights out for Cuban students as blockade bites
Cuban students are facing significant challenges as the government moves university classes online due to an ongoing energy crisis exacerbated by a US fuel blockade. With power outages lasting up to 20 hours a day, students struggle to complete assignments and maintain communication with instructors. The situation has led to a decline in educational quality and increased stress among both students and teachers.
- ▪The Cuban government moved university classes online in February to conserve electricity amid an energy crisis.
- ▪Students are facing difficulties due to power outages and limited internet access, impacting their ability to learn effectively.
- ▪Teachers report that many syllabus sections cannot be covered without in-person instruction, leading to extended deadlines for students.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Lights out for Cuban students as blockade bitesSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxIn February, the government moved university classes online, part of a raft of measures aimed at conserving electricity.PHOTO: AFPPublished May 19, 2026, 10:00 AMUpdated May 19, 2026, 10:00 AMHAVANA – It is the middle of the night in Havana, but Mr Alejandro Benitez is just getting down to work.The power is back on for the first time in 15 hours and Mr Benitez, a fourth-year architecture student, needs to get his assignment in fast before the electricity cuts out again.Desperate times call for desperate measures in crisis-hit Cuba, where a US fuel blockade – part of a pressure campaign which Havana fears will culminate in a military intervention – has aggravated an energy crisis,…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.