Prime Minister Gaston Browne is urging students at the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) to take full advantage of the opportunities now available to them and strive to become the best versions of themselves academically and culturally.

The prime minister made the appeal during an engagement with students Thursday at the Sir Alister Francis Campus, where he reflected on the challenges young people once faced in accessing tertiary education compared to the options available today.

Browne told students that during his time at the former Antigua State College, opportunities for higher education were limited, particularly for individuals from modest backgrounds. He noted that unless students were exceptionally strong academically or had parents who could afford to support them financially, advancing to tertiary-level studies was often out of reach.

He said his administration has since expanded access to education through the provision of approximately 2,000 scholarships annually, encouraging students to take advantage of these opportunities to improve their prospects and contribute meaningfully to national development.

“We are providing opportunities for our people to ‘level up’; to level up to a higher standard of living; to be better citizens,” Browne said. He also called on young people to play a more active role in maintaining cleaner communities, urging them to help promote environmental responsibility across the country.

While the engagement focused largely on economic development and access to higher education, the prime minister also stressed the importance of developing what he described as “soft skills,” including cultural awareness, discipline, and personal growth.

As part of those efforts, Browne pointed to government investment of more than $25 million in the redevelopment of the National Performing Arts Centre, formerly the Deluxe Cinema, which he said would help strengthen cultural expression and creative development among young people.

Despite its small size, Browne noted that Antigua and Barbuda continues to maintain a strong international presence, having hosted major global gatherings such as the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States and the Organization of American States General Assembly. He added that the country is preparing to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting later this year.

He encouraged students to position themselves to benefit from these developments, emphasizing that education, discipline, and personal growth remain essential to shaping both their futures and the future of the nation.