Antigua PM says government may consider means testing for scholarships
Prime Minister Gaston Browne says Antigua and Barbuda may have to introduce means testing for government-funded scholarships to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program.
Browne made the remarks on his weekly Browne and Browne Show, noting that while thousands of students benefit each year from scholarship support, the demand has grown to the point where reforms may be necessary.
“What we may have to do, based on the quantity of people we have to subsidize… I think at some point we may have to look at MEANs testing,” Browne said.
The prime minister pointed out that scholarships are currently awarded without reference to family income. He cited examples of students from affluent households — including his own son — who received assistance even though they could afford tuition.
“He didn’t need it. He took it because it was there,” Browne said, adding that professionals such as lawyers and doctors also make use of the funds.
The government provides support through multiple channels, including the Board of Education Fund, the government’s loan program, and the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Fund. Browne warned that without some form of income-based assessment, the system could become unsustainable.
He said his administration has already taken steps to rationalize scholarship funding after discovering cases where students were drawing from several programs simultaneously.
The suggestion comes as Antigua and Barbuda continues to expand tertiary opportunities, including the growth of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, which the government expects to serve thousands of students in the coming years.
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