Newly appointed Senator Kiz Johnson has endorsed the 2026 national Budget, describing it as a people-focused plan that places education and entrepreneurship at the centre of national development.

Contributing to the Appropriation Bill 2025 debate in the Senate, Johnson pointed to an allocation of approximately $220.1 million for education as clear evidence of the government’s commitment to human capital and long-term growth.

“A budget is more than numbers on a page; it is a statement of values,” she said. “The 2026 budget tells the story of a government investing in people, in their potential, and in their ability to shape their own futures.”

Johnson highlighted several education measures she described as historic, including the payment of CXC examination fees for students in both public and private schools, tuition-free studies at the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies starting in the 2026 academic year, and planned tuition-free programmes at The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus for eligible nationals.

She also welcomed the announcement that Bachelor of Laws degrees will be offered locally at UWI Five Islands from 2026, in partnership with the UWI Mona Faculty of Law, a move she said would ease financial pressures on families while strengthening national capacity.

Referencing the Youth Empowerment and Education Programme (YEEP), Johnson noted that more than 8,000 people have benefitted since 2016, with an overall 92 per cent pass rate at CSEC and CAPE. She highlighted the programme’s support services, including on-site childcare and counselling, which she said help remove barriers to learning.

“If you are a single parent, YEEP has a childcare centre on the ground,” she said. “If you’re facing personal challenges, there is counselling support because those challenges can affect learning.”

On entrepreneurship, Johnson said the Entrepreneur Development Programme recorded its strongest lending year to date, with $1.6 million disbursed by October 2025. She said business owners she interviewed credited the programme with helping them secure equipment and start-up resources, citing favourable interest rates.

She also pointed to the National Student Loan Fund, which issued between $1.2 million and $1.6 million in loans annually from 2022 to 2025, noting strong female participation and significant investment in STEM disciplines.

Johnson also reflected briefly on her political journey, explaining her decision to move from the role of Independent Senator to active participation in government, a path that led to her winning the St Philip’s South primary in December 2025.

“I reached a point where advocacy alone was no longer enough,” she told the Senate.