In a formal gathering held at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’s headquarters, Minister Daryll S. Matthew convened the departing Board of Directors of Sir Luther Wynter Pre-School to recognize and thank the volunteer group for decades of dedicated stewardship of one of Antigua and Barbuda’s most esteemed early childhood learning institutions. The meeting also marked a key milestone in the institution’s upcoming transition into the government’s growing network of public early childhood education centers, a Cabinet-approved initiative set to move forward in June 2026.
Established more than half a century ago by the late Dean Idris Bird, Sir Luther Wynter Pre-School has built an extraordinary reputation in regional early education. Currently serving more than 40 young learners, the school holds the distinction of being named a UNESCO model school, and it has long functioned as a hands-on teaching practicum site for early childhood education students enrolled at the University of the West Indies Global Campus.
Minister Matthew praised the outgoing volunteer board for their unwavering diligence and commitment to the school’s mission, emphasizing that the institution’s 50-plus year legacy of nurturing young minds would not have been possible without the consistent, uncelebrated work of volunteers who gave their time freely with no expectation of public recognition or compensation.
“On behalf of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, I want to express our sincere gratitude to this Board for its years of dedicated service,” Matthew stated during the meeting. “What you have built here — a nurturing, high-quality foundation for our youngest citizens — does not happen by accident. It happens because people choose, year after year, to show up for children who are not their own. As we transition Sir Luther Wynter into our expanded early childhood network, we do so committed to preserving everything that makes this institution special, and building on it.”
The transition of the iconic pre-school is part of a broader national strategy to position early childhood education as a core government priority, with plans to expand access to high-quality early learning across Antigua and Barbuda. As part of this expansion initiative, the government has also announced plans to develop new early childhood education centers in the underserved Judges Hill and Jennings communities.
Throughout the transition process, the Ministry of Education has reassured parents, school staff and the local community that maintaining consistent care and upholding the school’s existing high instructional standards will remain the government’s top priorities. To ensure a smooth handover and preserve the institution’s decades of institutional knowledge, ministry officials have extended an invitation to outgoing board members to remain involved with the school in an advisory capacity throughout the transition and beyond.