The government will assume responsibility for the Sir Luther Wynter Pre-School Child Development Centre as part of a broader effort to strengthen and expand early childhood education across Antigua and Barbuda, Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said Friday following the weekly Cabinet meeting.

Merchant said Cabinet endorsed the Ministry of Education’s continued efforts to improve the delivery of early childhood education and was informed by Education Minister Daryll Matthew that the government will take over the longstanding institution.

Founded more than 50 years ago by the late Dean Idris Bird, the Sir Luther Wynter Pre-School Child Development Centre operates on Queen Elizabeth Highway and is affiliated with the UWI Global Campus through its child development programme. The institution has been recognized as a UNESCO-designated model school and serves as a teaching practice facility for students pursuing studies in early childhood development.

Cabinet welcomed the transition of the school into the government’s growing network of early childhood education facilities. The centre currently serves about 50 students and employs between six and 10 teachers. Cabinet expressed confidence that the move will preserve the institution’s legacy while expanding access to quality early childhood education.

Merchant said Cabinet was also updated on plans to expand preschool services through the establishment of new early childhood centres in the Judges Hill area and in Jennings. The initiatives form part of the government’s commitment to ensuring that young children throughout Antigua and Barbuda have access to safe, nurturing and high-quality learning environments during their formative years.