U.S blockade attacking Cuban

Javier Rodríguez Roque HAVANA, October 8.— The U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba is also attacking the functioning of the Cuban education system, internationally considered to be one of the achievements of the revolutionary process.

The negative impact of this punitive measure on the part of the United States is particularly affecting teaching in vocational schools and in special schools for young people with disabilities.

The latter is exemplified by the virtually insurmountable obstacles faced by the Cuban educational authorities in their attempts to acquire diagnostic, didactic, and computer equipment manufactured in the United States.  These prohibitions extend to spare parts and other materials, not only those manufactured in U.S. territory, but also those produced by subsidiary companies in third countries.   A Cuban report presented to the UN stated that during 2007, this particularly affected 16 schools for hearing-impaired children, and day care centers requiring specialist equipment for the development of auditory perception.

In the last year, Washington’s intransigence has prevented the island from obtaining hearing aids and TDDs, given that the sale of these items is prohibited as if they were lethal weapons.

This also means that 2,230 children with physical motor difficulties – who receive outpatient care from the state – were unable to receive computer equipment which, if it had been purchased from the United States, would have been cheaper and would arrived more quickly. (PL) Translated by Granma International