Turner Praises Second Chance Programme for Helping 8,000 People and Achieving Top Exam Results
Social Transformation Minister Rawdon Turner used his Budget Debate presentation on Monday to deliver a strong endorsement of the Second Chance Programme, crediting it with transforming the lives of more than 8,000 people over the past decade.
Turner said the Youth Education and Empowerment Programme — widely known as the Second Chance Programme — will mark its tenth anniversary next year, describing it as one of the country’s most successful initiatives for adult learners and young people seeking to complete their education.
He told Parliament the department has provided “second chance” opportunities to over 8,000 persons, making it a major contributor to national development.
He praised the department’s head, Dr. Allen, for leading a team that consistently delivers strong academic performance.
Turner noted that participants in the programme topped CSEC results in Antigua and Barbuda in 2019, and in 2025 outperformed several secondary schools and learning centres with a 92 percent pass rate in CXC and CAPE examinations.
Turner said the department’s impact is widely felt across communities, including in the Speaker’s own constituency, noting that thousands of families have directly benefited. He urged critics to stop “tearing down” the YIP department and its radio station, saying detractors attack the programme daily despite the difference it continues to make in people’s lives.
He also highlighted new measures introduced by the programme to remove barriers to participation. Dr. Allen, he said, established a childcare facility inside the department so that parents with no one to look after their children can still attend classes. “You don’t have no excuse,”
Turner said, explaining that participants are now able to bring their children with them, ensuring no one is excluded because of childcare challenges.
Turner pledged full support to the department, saying he will continue to advocate in both Cabinet and Parliament for the resources needed to sustain and expand the programme as it enters its tenth year.
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