Havana, September 11 (RHC)-- Unlike many countries in the world, Cuban young people have the possibilities of continuing higher education once they have completed high school. They have the doors of knowledge open free of charge, whether through direct admission to universities in the form of presence, courses by meeting or distance education.

A new modality was added to the plans for training the country's skilled labor force for the 2018-2019 school year, with a high level of acceptance. These are the Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs, an option aimed at high school graduates, with a duration of two to three years.

For the academic year inaugurated last September 2, 8,500 places were offered at the 32 short cycle programs contemplated in this intermediate level between the baccalaureate and the bachelor's degree.

Minister of Higher Education, José Ramón Saborido, told Round Table TV program on Tuesday that this figure, along the 75,500 places offered this year for university careers, guarantee that each pre-university graduate can study in a center of higher studies.

The offers include, among others, several specialties in Higher Technician in Health, teachers of Basic Secondary in different subjects, Higher Technician in Network Administration and Computer Security and Higher Technician in Customs.

Higher education Ministry officials this modality will allow high school graduates to be inserted in the world of work with a higher qualification than the average technician and lower than the university graduate.