Education in Newly Independent Countries. Problematic Models and the Significance of the Cuban Alternative

Across the globe, education systems have not yet fully rid themselves of the aftermath of colonialism. Neo-colonial education is characterized by multiple crises that stem from entrenched inequality and socio-economic disparities. These serve to perpetuate the global division of labour whereby large, poorly-educated populations in the new nations still provide cheap and low-skilled labour for the globalised industries of the wealthy. Against this background, this paper considers the Cuban model of education and its current reforms as an alternative way of conceptualizing education and its role in national and global development. Since the neo-liberal world economic order does not support the equitable development of education, alternatives such as the Cuban model of education are increasingly important to demonstrate that a low-income country can achieve its vision of high-quality education with equity, and at the same time share the benefits of this education with other countries committed to serious educational reform.