Back-to-school in Cuba a grim day with shortages of everything

HAVANA - Cuban children began the new school year on Sept 1 with shortages of teachers, food and uniforms – and often no electricity – as the island endures a crippling US pressure campaign.At the Maria Cabrales Elementary School in the Havana area, kids filed into class without the typical bell-ringing or music to welcome them.The neighbourhood had not had electricity for 28 hours.For 35-year-old hair dresser Yannay Miranda, like many of the parents of Cuba’s 1.4 million pupils, the challenges of getting ready for the new year began long before Sept 1.She had to find a uniform for her six-year-old daughter, arrange food for her, and prepare for the now-routine blackouts.The uniform in particular was difficult. The government has struggled to provide them, forcing parents to turn to privat