Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the government is moving ahead with plans to make Spanish Antigua and Barbuda’s official second language, with the education system set to introduce Spanish instruction from the preschool level.

Speaking on Pointe FM on Saturday, Browne said the Ministry of Education is preparing to restructure the national curriculum to support the policy shift as Antigua and Barbuda strengthens ties with Latin America and neighboring Spanish-speaking countries.

The initiative forms part of a broader government policy aimed at improving regional integration and preparing young people for greater economic and professional opportunities across the Caribbean and Latin America.

According to a summary of the programme, the Ministry of Education is expected to integrate Spanish “as a core subject from preschool level.”

The government has previously indicated that the policy is intended to improve communication, trade and tourism opportunities while helping Antiguans and Barbudans become more competitive in a multilingual region.

Browne has repeatedly argued that Antigua and Barbuda’s geographic location and growing economic links with Latin America make Spanish language proficiency increasingly important for future development.

The Prime Minister has also linked the initiative to the government’s wider Dominican Republic Integration Programme and expanding commercial and diplomatic relationships with Spanish-speaking countries in the region.

The proposed changes are expected to require curriculum restructuring, teacher training and additional educational resources as the Ministry of Education rolls out the programme across schools.