CDB Approves US$56.2 Million Loan for Education Upgrades in Antigua and Barbuda
Four schools will be expanded and rehabilitated under a project supporting resilient classrooms, mathematics instruction and teacher training.
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved a US$56.2 million loan to Antigua and Barbuda for an education improvement project expected to benefit more than 10,000 students.
The Education Enhancement and Quality Improvement Project (E-EQUIP) will upgrade school facilities, strengthen teaching and expand support for students with special educational needs.
The Government will contribute a further US$23.565 million, bringing the total investment to approximately US$79.8 million. The Ministry of Education will implement the project from 2027 to 2031.
Approved at the CDB Board’s 315th Meeting in Barbados, the project includes the rehabilitation and expansion of Sir Novelle Richards Academy, Antigua Girls’ High School, Ottos Comprehensive School and Golden Grove Primary School.
The four schools will be developed as energy-efficient, disability-accessible facilities designed to withstand hurricanes and flooding. They will also serve as community shelters during emergencies.
“Every child deserves a safe, modern school where they can learn and thrive,” said CDB Director of Projects L. O’Reilly Lewis.
Alongside the infrastructure improvements, E-EQUIP will introduce CDB’s Improving Mathematics Proficiency Across Caribbean Countries (IMPACT) programme in every primary and secondary school.
More than 750 teachers, school leaders and Ministry staff will receive support to strengthen their instructional and leadership skills.
The project will also provide competitive grants for schools to address their improvement priorities, expand assistance for learners with special educational needs and support modernisation of the Education Act of 2008.
Designs will be prepared to transform two secondary schools into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centres of Excellence. The wider project is expected to help equip 2,400 young people with skills for work and life.
Building on Antigua and Barbuda’s achievement of universal access to basic education, E-EQUIP aims to improve educational quality, equity and relevance while making the system more resilient.
This story was first published by Antigua News on : antigua.news/2026/10/23/cdb-approves-ususd56-2-million-loan-for-education-upgrades-in-antigua-and-barbuda. © 2026 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.
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