65 years of the Children's Circles in Cuba

Image via the PCC

By Katherin Hormigó Rubio, translated from the Spanish

On April 10, 1961, merely a week prior to the mercenary invasion at Playa Girón (the Bay of Pigs), three educational institutions began operating in modest neighborhoods of Havana: Camilo Cienfuegos, Ciro Frías, and Fulgencio Oroz. These were more than just basic nurseries. They were Cuba’s first Children’s Circles, a hallmark of the Revolution that aimed to both free women from domestic confinement and ensure a well-rounded education for young children.

Vilma Espín, heroine of the Sierra Maestra and founder of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), was the direct promoter of the idea. In the founding act of the FMC on August 23, 1960, Fidel Castro, the leader of the Cuban Revolution, entrusted it with this responsibility. The goal was straightforward: to establish "new types of children's centers" to enable working mothers and students to fully participate in productive and social life. Meanwhile, their children would receive education, nutrition, and healthcare from an early age, typically from 12-14 months to 6 years.

By the end of 1961 there were already 37 circles throughout the country. It was a direct response to the pre-revolutionary reality: before 1959, child care mainly consisted of asylums for orphans or abandoned children, lacking any organized educational system. The Children's Circles represented a qualitative leap: early socialization, education in socialist values, comprehensive development and, above all, social justice.

Six and a half decades later

Currently, Cuba has 1,093 Children's Circles with more than nine thousand educators. While they don't fully meet demand, they serve over 154,000 children, giving priority to those of working mothers and students. In addition to these, there are about 250 Children's Houses (small centers located in workplaces, cooperatives and state entities), which arose as a flexible option in response to infrastructure constraints.

Based on official data and UNICEF, Cuba's early childhood care system achieves nearly 96% coverage by combining formal methods (such as circles and preschool classrooms) with non-formal approaches (like the Educate Your Child program, which supports families in rural areas or those without direct access to circles).

However, the current reality is marked by the deep economic crisis that the country is experiencing: fuel shortages, prolonged blackouts, inflation, shortages of materials and the migration of qualified personnel. How is the service maintained?

Innovative responses to the energy situation: In numerous provinces, schedules have been adjusted (with later start times and earlier end times) to facilitate the transportation of children and parents during the fuel shortage. The centers focus on supporting vital sectors of the economy.

Restoration of capacities: In 2024 and 2025, classrooms were renovated and new Children's Houses were established. In 2024 alone, these initiatives benefited over 45,000 children.

International collaboration: Collaborations with UNICEF have enabled the renovation of centers and the enhancement of parenting and comprehensive education programs.

Human effort: The educators and pedagogical assistants continue to work with "love and professionalism," according to official reports, despite limitations of toys, teaching materials and basic resources. There are no reports of mass closures; in fact, it’s emphasized that “they’ve kept their doors open.”

A legacy that transcends hardship

The Children's Circles have not only survived; they have evolved. They went from the Children's Institute (created in 1971) to the Ministry of Education in the 80s and were integrated into the preschool education subsystem. Today they combine national curriculum with local adaptations and emphasize social-emotional development, hygiene and preparation for primary school.

Amid an aging population, low birth rates, and a structural crisis, keeping this network open is a strategic priority for the Cuban government, reflecting its commitment to women’s emancipation and the protection of future generations.

Sixty-five years following their launch, amid threats, an energy siege, and the intensification of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government, the Children's Circles remain one of the most prominent symbols of the Cuban Revolution. They are not perfect. They haven’t avoided the country’s challenges. But in the Cuba of 2026, they remain open, continue educating, and keep caring for the future.

As Vilma Espín once said, it was “a work of infinite love,” and that love, it seems, still remains.

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC