The Government of Saint Lucia is widening its support for secondary school students by covering the cost of additional CSEC subjects and increasing access to higher education scholarships.
Previously, the state funded Mathematics and English Language exam fees for all Form 5 students. Beginning this academic year, the Ministry of Education will also pay for one science subject and one foreign language, bringing the total to four fully covered subjects.
Education Minister Shawn Edward, in his back-to-school address, explained the significance of the expansion, noting that some students had been forced to forgo sitting exams because of financial constraints. “It can be very disconcerting for the educator who has cared for a student for five years, only to see them disappear at registration because their parents could not mobilise the fees. We believe this is wrong, and that is why we are now in a position to pay for these four subjects for every child,” he said.
The administration has also expanded its First Generation Scholarship Programme with Monroe University, increasing the number of fully funded scholarships from 50 to 75. At the same time, stipends for Saint Lucian students studying in Cuba have been raised to match those offered in other jurisdictions.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has consistently tied these measures to his government’s vision of having “at least one university graduate in every household”.
Edward echoed this, saying, “Poverty or indigence should never be an impediment to one’s ability to pursue higher education. We will continue to seek out scholarships across the globe to make opportunities available to young Saint Lucians.”
The initiatives come as Saint Lucian students begin the 2025-2026 academic year, hoping to build on steady improvements in recent CSEC results.
