University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus Principal Professor C. Justin Robinson has praised the Antigua and Barbuda government’s decision to cover education costs from primary school through university, describing the initiative as “bold,” “visionary” and “rare.”

Robinson made the comments as he addressed new students during the university’s 2026 matriculation ceremony.

He said the students were entering Five Islands Campus at a significant time for education in Antigua and Barbuda, pointing specifically to the government’s move to assume a greater share of education costs.

“You arrive at Five Islands at a remarkable moment in the life of the nation of Antigua and Barbuda,” Robinson said.

“The government of Antigua and Barbuda has decided, and it’s effected this year, that education from primary to secondary is compulsory and that the government will carry the costs.”

Robinson said the government is also covering examination and tuition expenses beyond the primary and secondary levels.

“They’re covering the CSEC and the CAPE, they’re covering the tuition fees at ABICE and at the UWI Five Islands Campus,” Robinson said.

Robinson offered strong support for the policy, while making clear that he was expressing his personal assessment of the initiative.

“Let me say, in my opinion, this is bold, it is visionary, it is rare, and I want to use the moment to commend the government on this move,” he said.

However, Robinson, an economist, cautioned students against viewing access to a university education as an automatic solution to their economic challenges.

“Now, as an economist, I would say that this is not a magic bullet,” Robinson said. “A degree by itself will not fix your family finances or fix all of our problems, but it’s an important start.”

He recalled a saying he heard growing up in St. Vincent: “If you think that education is expensive, then just try ignorance.”

Robinson said governments face many choices over how public money is spent and argued that investing in the education of citizens is a worthwhile use of state resources.

“A government can choose to do many, many worse things with the public purse than commit it to the education of its own people,” Robinson said.

He also told the incoming students that people of any age could make far worse choices than devoting several years to higher education.

“Young, old, middle-aged among us today can choose to do many, many worse things with three years of their lives than spend it here,” he said.

With the government helping to remove some of the financial barriers to education, Robinson told students that they now had a responsibility to make use of the opportunity.

“I would suggest to you the country has done its part for you to be here,” Robinson said.

He also acknowledged the role played by parents and guardians in helping students reach university.

“Your parents and guardians and those in the room, I commend you, they have done their part,” he said. “And what remains here is really largely up to you.”

Robinson challenged the students to think beyond simply obtaining a qualification.

“The question is not what you will study here. It is what you will become while you are here,” he said.

The comments came as UWI Five Islands welcomed its largest incoming class since the campus was established.

Registrar Dr. Camille Samuel announced during the matriculation ceremony that 587 new students had joined the campus for 2026, describing it as the institution’s highest intake to date.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: UWI Five Islands Principal Praises Antigua and Barbuda Government for Paying University Tuition.