Antigua and Barbuda

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Antigua and Barbuda is a small state of the Commonwealth in the Caribbean with a population of about 94,000 (World Bank, 2022).

COL’s work in Antigua and Barbuda is primarily in the areas of higher education through the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) network, Lifelong Learning for Farmers , Technology-Enabled Learning and Skills for Work. Learners from Antigua and Barbuda are also participating in COL’s free online courses and benefitting from other openly available resources.

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 15-64 years old¹
n/a		n/a
Female		Male

Completion rate, lower secondary education¹
n/a		n/a
Female		Male

Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for the school year ending in 2012¹
34.3%		15.3%
Female		Male

Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications in secondary education¹
48.5%		45.4%
Female (2018)		Male (2018)

1. UNESCO Institute for Statistics Data Centre, retrieved in May 2023

Highlights

Professional Development and Governance Framework (PGDF) developed by the Ministry of Education in 2025 to strengthen teacher training.
Antigua State College established a solar-powered multimedia courseware studio with COL support.
Draft strategy for poultry self-sufficiency was developed by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2024.
200+ farmers trained in key agricultural skills to improve their livelihoods.

Partners

Partnerships are fundamental to COL’s work. Strategic partnerships allow COL to broaden its reach and engage at global, regional and national levels, while implementation partners support COL’s work in communities and institutions across Commonwealth Member States. Partners include multilateral organisations, regional bodies, national governments, government agencies, foundations, civil society organisations, public and private (not-for-profit) institutions and the private sector. COL partnerships assist in improving and extending teaching and learning services to people in the developing Commonwealth.

COL’s partners in Antigua and Barbuda include:

Ministry of Education, Sports and Creative Industries
Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs
Antigua State College
The University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus

Key Contacts

Focal Point

Mrs Stacy Payne-Mascall
Assistant Director of Education
Planning Unit
Ministry of Education, Sports and Creative Industries

Literacy rate (2015)¹
99.4%		98.4%
Female, Adult (15+)		Male, Adult (15+)

Economic Activity – Labour Forces Participation (2018)¹
68.9%		76.1%
Female, Ages 15-64		Male, Ages 15-64

Political Decision Making (2023)¹
22.9%
Share of seats held by women in national parliament

Life expectancy (2023)¹
78		74.9
Female		Male

1. COL gender country profile October 2023

96	200
Individuals using the internet (%)¹	Mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹

8.6	51
Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹	Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹




1. International Telecommunication Union (ITU), retrieved in May 2023.

Antigua and Barbuda

Highlights

Partners

Key Contacts

Focal Point

Notable Mention

More Information

News

Reports

Publications and Resources

Country Data Sources