The Minister of Education and Sports, Daryll Matthew, on Friday presented seed funding for sports to government secondary schools during the Sports Development Workshop with principals and schools’ sports coordinators, held at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
As part of this initiative:
- Large Schools received $20,000.00 each
- Medium Schools received $15,000.00 each
- Small Schools received $8,000.00 each
In addition to the allocation of seed funding, all schools also received their prize monies from the 2024 Inter-School Competitions. This investment underscores the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing sports development across the education sector, providing schools with the resources needed to strengthen athletic programmes and nurture emerging talent.
Minister Matthew expressed his satisfaction in delivering on a promise made last year to ensure schools received their funding. He emphasized that the primary goal of school sports is grassroots athlete development, stressing that stronger cooperation between the Ministry and schools is essential for advancing programmes. “Developing talent from the ground up is critical,” he stated, highlighting the importance of sports in building pathways for young athletes.
Commissioner of Sports, Dr. Colin Greene, outlined the Ministry’s vision of “Development of Sports and Sports for Development.” He noted that the day’s activity focused on how sports can achieve multiple objectives, including:
- Driving economic growth through sports
- Creating linkages across industries and communities
- Expanding career opportunities in the field of sports
Dr. Greene further explained that the Ministry is working to create a sound platform of partnership between education and sports, ensuring sustainable collaboration and long-term development.
Also in attendance were Minister of State, Sen. Shenella Govia, Permanent Secretary, Ena Dalso Henry, Director of Education, Clare Browne, Director of Sports, Heather Samuel Daley, and Deputy Commissioner of Sports, Mr. Joel Rayne. Their participation reflected the strong, cross-sectoral support for advancing school sports in Antigua and Barbuda.
This milestone marks a significant step toward the empowerment of young athletes and the integration of sports into national development strategies.
Principals or representatives from four private secondary schools were also in attendance; these were the St. Joseph’s Academy, the St. Anthony’s Secondary School, Christ the King High School and the Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School.
