Antigua gov't to refund CXC fees to parents in giveback

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Government of Antigua and Barbuda says it will waive CXC examination fees and refund parents who have already paid.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by Education Minister Daryll Matthew, who added that the funds will be returned by next Monday.

Matthew, who is the Member of Parliament for St John’s Rural South, made the announcement as he presented his ministry’s plans for 2026, revealing that the government will cover approximately EC$1.25 million in annual CXC fees.

He said that while the payment deadline for CXC exams passed about a week and a half ago and students had already paid, the Cabinet decided all those funds would be refunded.

“I’ve given instructions to the Ministry of Education and the exams office here to return the funds to the schools. The schools will have a register of which students paid what,” Matthew said.

“Before Christmas, you’ll have another reason to smile because you will receive those funds back and the government will undertake to ensure that the $1.2 million that our students accrue in CXC payments every year will be borne by the government of Antigua and Barbuda,” he declared.

Matthew also revealed a policy shift that removes all barriers to entry at Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) institutions, including both academic and financial requirements.

“There should be no barrier to entry to ABCAS, neither a financial barrier nor an academic barrier. Anyone should be able to walk in off the street and go and register once a programme is being offered.”

He said students who are deficient in particular areas would be provided with remedial programmes to bring them up to acceptable standards, ensuring education remains accessible to all citizens.

In addition, he said the Ministry has established an agreement with the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus to create a matriculation pathway for ABCAS students into the tertiary institution.

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