During Monday’s Budget Debate, Social Transformation Minister Rawdon Turner delivered a powerful testimony to the remarkable achievements of the Second Chance Programme, highlighting its transformative impact on over 8,000 individuals throughout its near-decade of operation. The Youth Education and Empowerment Programme, commonly known as the Second Chance Programme, prepares to commemorate its tenth anniversary next year as one of the nation’s most effective educational initiatives for adult learners and youth seeking to complete their academic qualifications.
Minister Turner specifically commended Dr. Allen, the department’s director, for steering a team that consistently achieves exceptional academic outcomes. The program has demonstrated extraordinary educational results, with participants achieving top CSEC results in Antigua and Barbuda in 2019. Most recently in 2025, the program surpassed multiple secondary schools and learning centers with an impressive 92% pass rate in both CXC and CAPE examinations.
The program’s influence extends deeply into communities nationwide, including within the Speaker’s own constituency, where thousands of families have experienced direct benefits. Turner addressed program critics directly, urging them to cease their persistent attacks on the YIP department and its associated radio station, emphasizing the tangible differences the initiative continues to make in citizens’ lives.
Among the program’s innovative features is the establishment of an on-site childcare facility, implemented under Dr. Allen’s leadership to eliminate participation barriers for parents. This critical support system enables students with young children to attend classes without childcare concerns, effectively removing a significant obstacle to educational access.
Minister Turner concluded with a firm commitment to ongoing support, vowing to advocate within both Cabinet and Parliament for necessary resources to not only sustain but expand the program as it enters its landmark tenth year of operation.