Youth-Focused and Future-Ready: Guild President Welcomes Budget 2026’s Investment in Education and University Access
By Kerron McKenzie, Guild President, UWI Five Islands Campus
The recently presented 2026 National Budget of Antigua and Barbuda was delivered by the Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance presents a clear and promising message to the youth, the student body and to national development: access to education is not simply a policy objective it is a national investment.
Among the highlights are government commitments to cover all CXC examination fees for students, and to roll out tuition-free study at UWI Five Islands for eligible citizens once the campus expansion is complete.
As Guild President of the UWI Five Islands Campus, I view these measures as transformative. For many young Antiguans and Barbudans, the cost of examinations or tertiary fees has been a barrier to fulfil their academic or entrepreneurial ambitions. Now, the cost barrier is being explicitly targeted. This budget recognises that investing in our human capital opens doors not only for students, but for the entire economy. Skilled graduates, entrepreneurs, job-creators and global competitors emerge when education is accessible.
Free tuition (subject to eligibility and expansion completion) at UWI Five Islands signals a structural shift: it reinforces that tertiary education should be a possibility for many, not a privilege for a few. For students such as myself studying banking and finance, this is a moment to align our academic work, our start-ups and our initiatives with national priorities such as innovation, sustainability, climate resilience and youth empowerment.
To the government, I commend the people-centred focus of the 2026 Budget. By making education a core pillar, it demonstrates that national growth is tied directly to the next generation. Students now have a stronger platform to step into leadership, contribute to business development and support the islands’ vision of sustainable growth.
To my fellow students I encourage you: treat these commitments not just as benefits to receive but as responsibilities to fulfil. Use this access to sharpen your skills, deepen your networks, build your ventures and prepare to give back to our country. Let us leverage this moment to raise our ambitions and deliver tangible outcomes for Antigua and Barbuda.
Kerron McKenzie
Guild President, School of Business & Management
UWI Five Islands Campus
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