Government Senator Kiz Johnson on Wednesday welcomed the decision to cover Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) fees, saying the move will significantly ease the financial burden on families across Antigua and Barbuda.
Speaking during debate on the 2026 Appropriations Bill in the Upper House, Johnson said the government’s decision to pay the cost of CSEC and CAPE examinations for students in both public and private schools represents a major form of cost-of-living relief for parents.
She told senators that examination fees have long placed pressure on households, particularly families with multiple children sitting external exams in the same academic year.
Johnson said the policy shifts the cost of examinations away from individual families and places it within the country’s broader investment in education and human capital.
She noted that the measure applies to students in both public and private institutions, expanding access beyond the traditional scope of government assistance.
Johnson cited comments from Caribbean Examinations Council Registrar and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wayne Wesley, who she said described expanded access to CXC credentials as creating sustainable pathways to higher education and the world of work, with long-term benefits for society.
She said the decision to cover examination fees aligns with the government’s wider education agenda, which includes tuition-free study at the Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Continuing Education and planned tuition-free access at the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus once its expansion is completed.
Johnson told the Senate that education policy must be measured not only by budgetary allocations but by its impact on families and opportunities for young people.
She said the removal of examination fees reduces financial barriers that can discourage students from pursuing academic achievement or sitting multiple subjects.
Her remarks came as the Senate continued debate on the 2026 budget, which allocates the largest share of government spending to the education sector.