Accreditation Board – By Jeressa Jeremy
Accreditation Board Explains Price
The Antigua and Barbuda National Accreditation Board (ABNAB) said its decision to increase service fees was driven by rising training costs, expanded responsibilities, and challenges related to funding and operational demands.
The Board’s statement was made by Executive Director Sharon Kelsick during an interview with Observer Media on Friday, following the official press release by the organisation, announcing its recent price changes.
The Director said that the organisation maintained its fees structure in excess of a decade, even as the scope and technical requirements of accreditation work have expanded.
“We have been operating for 20 years and the fees have not really gone up for over 10 years,” Kelsick said.
“The landscape of accreditation and what is required has changed significantly, just as higher education is changing.” She also said that ABNAB’s role has grown beyond basic oversight and now includes a more structured accreditation framework that requires greater technical capacity and staff development.
“We have to ensure that our accreditation officers are trained,” she said. “We cannot second-guess it. There needs to be accuracy,” she added.
According to Kelsick, one of the main cost pressures is the training required for staff, which she said is essential to meet international standards.
Kelsick explained that such training can cost between $10,000 and $15,000 per officer due to its specialised nature.
The ABNAB official also pointed to funding challenges, saying government subventions have not always been consistent and have at times been delayed, affecting planning and operations. “There have been times when subventions were late, or we only get one or two for the year when we should be getting four,” she said.
Because of this, Kelsick said the organisation is working toward greater financial sustainability while continuing to maintain its regulatory responsibilities.
“We have to find ways to better serve our clients, and part of doing that is increasing the fees so we can maintain our services,” she said.
Kelsick said any additional revenue will go directly back into strengthening the organisation’s capacity. “Any extra money that comes in will go towards training and development, maintaining our international memberships, and improving our systems,” she said.
ABNAB is also expanding its accreditation framework, Kelsick added and outlined plans to introduce a more structured system that moves institutions through stages of registration, candidacy, and full accreditation.
“We are working to make sure our systems are strong, accurate and able to respond to the needs of our clients,” she said.
ABNAB officially announced the revised service fee structure effective July 1, 2026, in a statement earlier this month. The Board said the updated pricing model forms part of a broader restructuring aimed at improving service delivery, upgrading digital systems, and expanding customer support.
Under the new structure, fees for services such as accreditation statements, CSME verification, equivalence assessments, and degree verification will range from $100 to $200 depending on the category and whether the applicant is local or international.
The Board said applications submitted on or before June 30, 2026, will be processed under the current rates during a grace period, and added that the changes are intended to support ongoing improvements in the higher education sector.
