Cuban Technical and Professional Education (ETP) has as priority in the training teaching in 97 specialties, 51 for technicians and 46 for skilled workers which is the main goal in skills’ learning.
In an interview to Trabajadores newspaper, Emilio Hernandez Chang, head of the ETP department from the Minister of Education of Cuba said that another goal is to strengthen the vocational and orientation professional training (FVOP), directed to the productive and service branches that are indispensible in the updating process of our economical model.
There are at present 78, 196 students that represent the 58 percent of those graduated from ninth grade (Junior High School). From them, 34, 179 are in technical colleges and 44, 017 in skilled workers colleges.
Among the adaptations in teaching, Hernandez Chang said is included the morning schedule that will be according to the peculiarities of the of the schools; that is, registration, specialties, agreements with production and service entities, first of all, taking into consideration professional training.
These schools will not schedule class sessions with the same subject the whole day except training, which will preferably be planned in working sessions or the whole day.
Whenever possible, technical students from first and second years will receive classes in the morning and third and forth years will have them in the afternoon. Likewise, skilled workers from first year will have classes in the morning and the second year in the afternoon.
FVOP’s activities should be teachers and students together from the school with the participation of the production and service specialists working in those entities supporting the teaching-learning process from those schools.
It is worth saying that since 2011, several set of tools have been distributed in those schools for instance to be used in drawing classrooms, integral equipment for trade schools, adjustment workshops, machinery, and sets for welding.
In this academic course, there are included 30 specialties more of agriculture, electricity, building and also for the clothing industry and the total value goes beyond 3 million dollars.
Something new is the third edition of the basic course in Accounting and Finance (by modules) in 112 hours: 23 for theory and 83 for practice. Registration will be from September 15 to 30. The press will give more information soon.
In respect to those students graduated as skilled workers who would like to study in technical colleges, Hernandez Chang said this will be possible if there is demand by the employment entities of the territories.