ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – On August 7, 2026, senior officials from Antigua’s Ministry of Education, Science & Technology and the national Board of Education completed a joint inspection of ongoing construction work at two major secondary school sites, reaffirming the government’s long-term pledge to modernize the country’s education infrastructure to meet growing student needs.
The two expansion projects, which broke ground last year, are core components of the Board of Education’s annual summer infrastructure improvement program, a broader initiative that covers upgrades and maintenance at more than 40 public schools across the nation. The inspection tour gave leaders a first-hand look at construction progress and allowed them to highlight the cross-agency collaboration driving the effort to address long-standing gaps in school facilities.
At Antigua Grammar School, the project centers on expanding and consolidating the institution’s Home Economics Department. Currently, the department’s Food & Nutrition program is housed on the school’s lower floor, while Home Management and Clothing & Textiles operate from the upper level. Once complete, the consolidated facility will bring all three program areas under a single roof, creating a cohesive, functional space designed specifically for hands-on practical training that helps students build critical technical and life skills.
Following the inspection at Antigua Grammar, the delegation traveled to Clare Hall Secondary School, where a far-reaching capacity expansion project is underway to resolve persistent overcrowding issues. The development will add seven new classrooms to the campus – three on the lower level and four on the upper – increasing the school’s total enrollment capacity by roughly 200 students to accommodate growing demand for secondary school places in the region.
Both expansion projects are fully funded through the national Education Levy, a dedicated revenue stream managed by the Board of Education, with the Ministry of Education providing strategic oversight to ensure all infrastructure investments align with the broader goals and priorities of Antigua’s national education system. Officials confirmed that construction is on schedule, and both upgrades will be fully completed ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year, ready to welcome students when the new term begins.
Education Minister Daryll Matthew emphasized that the ongoing work reflects the current government’s core policy priority: investing in education facilities that are equipped to serve both the current and future needs of Antigua’s student population. “Our government’s policy is clear: improving the quality of education cannot be separated from improving the physical environments where our students learn and our teachers work,” Matthew explained during the tour. “As the demands placed on our education system continue to evolve, our school infrastructure must evolve alongside them. The upgrades at Antigua Grammar and Clare Hall Secondary are just part of our broader commitment to expanding enrollment capacity, modernizing our school stock, and creating spaces that actively support high-quality teaching and learning.”
Carla Farquhar, Executive Secretary of the Board of Education, noted that the visible construction progress at the two schools demonstrates the value of careful, responsible management of the Education Levy, which lies at the center of the Board’s core work. “The Education Levy is a direct investment by the people of Antigua and Barbuda in the future of our nation’s education,” Farquhar said. “The Board carries a fundamental responsibility to manage these public resources prudently, and direct every dollar toward projects that will deliver meaningful, long-lasting impact for students and communities. When levy contributors see schools being expanded, new resources being added, and facilities being upgraded, they are seeing their contributions hard at work.”
Farquhar also took the opportunity to remind all levy contributors of the importance of meeting their Education Levy obligations on time. “Every single contribution makes a difference. The scale and scope of the work we can support across the entire education system is directly tied to the amount of resources available to the Board. Timely, consistent contributions allow us to plan long-term, respond quickly to pressing priority needs, and make sustained, transformative investments in our schools. Good stewardship requires accountability from our side, but it also depends on the continued support and compliance of every contributor.”
This joint inspection tour is part of a broader public outreach initiative by the Ministry and Board of Education, designed to increase transparency and public awareness of the ongoing investments being made to strengthen Antigua’s education sector.