Central Youth for Labour Hails ‘People-Centred’ Budget With Major Focus on Education

The Central Youth for Labour (CYFL), the youth arm of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, has praised Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s 2026 Budget, describing it as a “people-centred” plan that places education at the core of national development.

The Government has allocated $220.1m to the Ministry of Education, Sports and Creative Industries – the largest share of any ministry. The CYFL said the move reflects Mr Browne’s long-standing commitment to improving access to education and aligns with global calls for inclusive, high-quality learning.

Tertiary education enrolment has grown sharply in recent years, with student numbers at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus rising from 173 in 2019 to 1,403 in 2025. But the CYFL noted that many families still struggle with the rising cost of exams and post-secondary study.

The group welcomed several major measures announced in the Budget, including tuition-free study for all students at the Antigua & Barbuda College of Continuing Studies from 2026, Government coverage of all CXC exam fees, and a forthcoming tuition-free programme at UWI Five Islands once its expansion is complete.

The CYFL also praised ongoing upgrades at the UWI campus, including new academic programmes and a $200m expansion featuring laboratories, classrooms, sporting facilities and additional student housing. It said the investment positions Antigua and Barbuda as an emerging hub for regional higher education.

Beyond tertiary learning, the organisation highlighted the construction of the new Five Islands Primary School, due to open in January 2027, as evidence of the Government’s broader focus on improving education from early childhood through to university.

Prime Minister Browne said the Government remained committed to expanding access to post-secondary education and equipping the next generation with the skills needed for national development.

The CYFL urged young people at home and abroad to make use of the new opportunities created by the Budget.

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