Sir Molwyn Joseph has called for curriculum reform in Antigua and Barbuda’s education system to include a greater focus on Black history and cultural identity, arguing that young people must be taught their heritage to understand their value.

“This cannot be all academic,” the Health Minister said during debate on the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) Bill 2025. “There has to be a holistic educational programme. One of the things our people do not know is their own history. And I’m not talking about Columbus.”

He warned that students who are not taught about their ancestors’ contributions to civilisation risk internalising negative perceptions. “If you do not know where you’re from, and you do not know what you have contributed to history, you tend to devalue your worth.”

Sir Molwyn said the inclusion of identity, pride, and heritage must go hand-in-hand with efforts to modernise science and technical training. “They need to develop the sense of history of themselves, self-worth,” he said, calling for elective courses that explore Afro-Caribbean history and the accomplishments of African-descended peoples.

He stressed that an educational framework rooted only in technical or academic achievement falls short. “You can’t sustain a society purely on degrees. You have to build a people who understand who they are.”

The ABCAS Bill, which consolidates four existing institutions into one statutory college, was passed with bipartisan support. Sir Molwyn praised the legislation as part of a “revolutionary” step toward expanding and modernising the country’s education system.

The Minister also highlighted broader equity goals, including universal early childhood education and support for students with developmental delays. But he returned to cultural identity as a foundational element.

“This is not just about jobs,” he said. “It’s about building a society.”