​By Aabigayle McIntosh

Education officials are buoyed by the transformation of the Harrison Centre Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Continuing Education.

ABICE was formed out of the amalgamation of three social programmes in 2007 with its primary focus being to provide Technical and Vocational Education Programmes that give students a second chance as well as lifelong learning opportunities.

With the financial injection from Philanthropist Sir David Harrison, it has transformed into a model facility.

Education Minister Daryl Mathew said the boost to technical vocational training in Antigua and Barbuda is welcomed.

Classes are currently in full swing at the expanded facility.

“There are a few pieces of critical equipment that we are waiting for example in the automotive area we are waiting on the hoist and the lifts, but when you look at what the institution is now and what it was 24 months ago, chalk and cheese and what that enables us to do now is to offer a different level of training and education to Antiguans and Barbudans,” Minister Mathew said.

The minister also pointed out that the expansion came at a crucial time when the construction sector is experiencing a surge in activities.

‘We are now at a place where we are looking at the further expansion of ABICE which will involve upgrading the existing initial part of the campus so that when you step on the compound you don’t see a spanking new building and then some old buildings, the campus should have a uniform look, feel, a uniform brand because we are moving away from the days where persons thought that ABICE was a place you went to when you could not go anywhere else”.