Cuba Teacher's Day - December 22nd

Before the Christian community in Cuba celebrates Christmas the teachers, whether Christian believers or not, have to commemorate first the Cuba Teacher’s Day. This kind of teacher appreciation activity in the country is celebrated every 22nd of December. For the Cubans, this date is very significant since it is the time when one of the country’s leaders Fidel Castro in a mass rally, has declared the country as “free from illiteracy” territory. Since then, the teacher’s day in Cuba became one of the most attended and celebrated activities all over the country.

One of the significant educational events that has been appreciated by the Cubans in the 19th century, according to New York Times report published February 17, 1900, was the offer made by President Charles Eliot of the Harvard University to allow at least 1,000 Cuban teachers to have a six-week study tour in the US by visiting top universities in Washington, New York and other cities. All these privileges to visit the country’s top universities were free of charge.

Since Cuba is a small country in the Caribbean Region there is not much of a wider scale of preparations for teacher appreciation day. The following are some of the most common events in the country.

Teacher appreciation gifts

Some students mostly in private schools would send gifts for their teachers as their means of appreciation to the teachers worthwhile contribution in the communities despite the profession is not giving higher income potentials. The usual activity in Cuba was the flooding love cards made by students as well as those that can be found in bookstores. The greetings cards are enough recognition according to most teachers in Cuba. They also understand the plight of parents especially in government schools.

School activities

Even when the government has no enough funds to commemorate Cuba Teacher’s Day, majority of the schools prepare entertainment activities. Students offer teachers with their folk and modern dances, song renditions as well as poetry recitals. The organization of parents and teachers in other schools also partner the school activity with their recognition of the exemplary performance made by the educators.