Operations at the New School of Agriculture formerly the Glanvilles Secondary School is expected to begin as early as next month.

This is according to President of the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies, ABCAS, Dr E. Jonah Greene.

The curriculum is currently being developed with local agriculturalists and several regional agriculture schools.

“It is our goal now that come the end of January into February we will be offering two courses. One in crop production and the other on broilers and chickens. By offering those two short courses we are starting to build out,” Dr Greene said.

This is welcomed news for many as concerns were shared after news broke last year over the move to merge the Glanvilles and Pares Secondary Schools.

The merger would then make way for the School of Agriculture.

This strategic move aligns with the Government’s broader commitment to enhancing food security and increasing access to specialized agricultural education and training.

Last June, Cabinet approved the merger of the Glanvilles and Pares Secondary Schools.

It was reported to the C​abinet that the merger was essential due to declining enrollment numbers at both institutions. G​lanvilles S​econdary School had 163 students at the time while P​ares S​econdary S​chool had 178 students.

At the start of the new academic year all current students from G​lanvilles were accommodated at P​ares S​econdary S​chool, while teachers were either reassigned to other educational institutions or retained within the M​inistry of Education system.

G​lanvilles S​econdary S​chool is well-equipped to support this new direction, featuring essential facilities such as a H​ome E​conomics D​epartment, a S​cience L​aboratory, animal pens, a hydroponic unit, and established farm plots.