Azille Criticizes – By Jeressa Jeremy
Azille Criticizes Government Neglecting
During a United Progressive Party (UPP) rally in Newfield on Thursday night, Asworth Azille – UPP caretaker for the St John’s City East Constituency — issued a strong critique of the government’s current educational priorities.
Azille argued that the administration’s focus on expanding the tertiary sector is being pursued at the expense of the nation’s primary and secondary schools.
Addressing a crowd of supporters gathered for candidate Alex Brown, Azille characterized the current strategy as “foundational neglect”.
He suggested that the government is pouring resources into university-level infrastructure while the schools meant to prepare students for that level are in a state of disrepair.
“You see you cannot build a tertiary sector while neglecting the primary and secondary levels that are supposed to be feeding it,” Azille stated.
“You cannot pour all your resources into a university while public schools struggle with overcrowding, outdated facilities, and limited access to modern tools.”
Azille warned of a growing disconnect between local educational outcomes and the requirements for higher learning.
He argued that if the base of the education system is not strengthened, the new university facilities will remain out of reach for many Antiguans and Barbudans.
“If our students do not qualify to enter university here at home, then we are not building anything for the people,” Azille noted.
He concluded by calling for a more balanced allocation of resources to ensure that students at the primary and secondary levels receive the “foundational attention” they deserve before they are expected to compete at a tertiary level.
