Sunday, February 12, 2012

The New Man Needs Toys / Dora Leonor Mesa

The New Man Needs Toys / Dora Leonor Mesa
Dora Leonor Mesa, Translator: Unstated

Without detracting from the prestige gained by Cuban education since
1959, in my view the shortage of toys that children in Cuba have
suffered, and do suffer, has been ignored.

While the Russians were sending millions of rubles every day, our
parents gave up sleep to buy three toys a year. In schools and
kindergartens the situation was no better. The toys are few, the variety
and beauty meager. Even the comics (in Cuba we call them muñequitos) for
some time were few and not very fun because of the "socialist realism"
in the art and culture of the now-extinct socialist bloc.

The Cuban Revolution has abolished private property for more than half a
century, and eliminated for-profit education. It attempted to create a
kind of "New Man," with a collectivist outlook and willing to sacrifice
for the common good. It created the educational institutions known as
"scholarships" — which were, in practice, boarding schools — where many
children were kept much of their youth. Along with that came the
state-run organizations such as the Organization of Pioneers, the
Secondary School Student Federation, the Union of Young Communists and
many more.

These plans had a significant impact on Cuban society and dazzled half
the world by their novelty and the success in academics extended to many
citizens. Behind the strategy were successful Cuban educators with
Russian and German advisers of the former socialist camp. This was a
valuable aid in pedagogy given the reputation Russian and German schools
enjoyed for centuries the.

Toys are generally expensive. But in Cuba today I invite my readers to
visit the toy stores at the Hotel Habana Libre or the Carlos III
Complex. A doll or a truck that is worth more than $10 in many parts of
the world, can only be bought in those stores with the monthly salary of
a Cuban surgeon. A remote control SUV can be purchased if desired, with
the salary of two surgeons. Do not mention BMX bikes because I might
have to include the salaries of the entire medical team in the operating
room.

This situation is not new. It's been like this for decades. So when they
say that Cuban children are happy and they do not lack the basics, I
remind the "enthusiasts" that a toy for an infant is like water for
humans, especially in the world of technology and knowledge.

If you ask a girl how much a Playstation is worth, she might doubt her
answer. But ask her what the black market prices are and then she will
give you all the details you need, and she will also to update you on
the exchange rate between the CUC, the euro and the dollar.

Not bad that children know the world around them but I disagree with
those who say that Cuba does not skimp on education resources. On the
facts would be preferable to say that is skimps. The list is long:
Textbooks are unattractive, teachers lack computers or email, 45% of
schools lack telephones, and children lack toys despite the efforts of
their parents and teachers to provide them.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 3, paragraph 1 provides:
"In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or
private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative
authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall
be a primary consideration."

Selling is a legal business, selling toys at exorbitant prices, in my
opinion, is a scam aimed our daughters and sons. They treat us like the
Spanish colonialists treated the Indians: exchanging mirrors for gold.

September 13 2011

http://translatingcuba.com/?p=14996

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