DURING the October half term, I was lucky enough to be one of 25 teachers from the NEU to take part in a solidarity delegation to Cuba. I applied for the delegation because, having taught the Millennium Development Goals in numerous geography lessons over the years, I was aware that Cuba was one of the first countries to achieve universal primary education for all. Beyond this, my knowledge of Cuba was somewhat limited before I went. In many ways, it still is, but six days of visiting schools and looking at the Cuban education system has left a deep impression on me.

One of things that struck everyone on the delegation was how highly the arts were valued in the school curriculum. In every school we visited, there was a performance where the students shared singing, music, dance, poetry and other expressive arts. It was clear that their performances, which were of a very high standard, were heartfelt and that students were confident in expressing themselves.

In some ways, the most surprising thing was how comfortable the teenage boys were expressing themselves through these mediums – in stark contrast to the 14-year-old boys in my year group, the majority of whom who shy away from expressing any sort of feeling or emotion. For myself and the rest of the delegation, there was a realisation that this self-confidence was instilled from a young age, not just through the curriculum but from a culture which gives real value to the arts.