The Government of Antigua and Barbuda will cover up to 50 percent of tuition costs for students enrolled in law programmes at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus, Cabinet has approved.
The decision forms part of the Government's broader commitment to expanding access to higher education and developing a highly skilled workforce. Cabinet noted that the initiative recognises the strategic importance of legal education and is designed to encourage more Antiguans and Barbudans to pursue law while easing the financial burden of doing so.
The law tuition support sits within a wider education agenda that includes free tuition for eligible students completing their first undergraduate degree at UWI Five Islands. Students pursuing postgraduate and professional degrees will continue to fund their own tuition, except in areas where the Government determines that national development priorities justify special assistance.
Cabinet also established a sub-committee comprising the Minister for Education, the Minister responsible for Social Transformation, and the Minister for Information Communication Technology to engage directly with the UWI Five Islands administration. The committee's mandate is to identify programmes and partnerships that align with Antigua and Barbuda's national development agenda and support the continued growth of the campus.
The Government described its investment in education as an investment in the nation's future, with the long-term goal of positioning UWI Five Islands as a premier institution capable of meeting the educational and workforce needs of both Antigua and Barbuda and the wider region.
The tuition support initiative is expected to broaden opportunities for aspiring lawyers and strengthen the legal profession across the country.
