The Antigua State College (ASC) will host its first-ever Open House tomorrow, and prospective students and parents have been invited to explore the institution’s diverse programme offerings and itsfacilities.
The event, scheduled for 9:30am to 3pm at the Golden Grove campus, aims to provide firsthand experience of college life and academic opportunities to fifth formers, school leavers, mature students, and the public.
During an interview on Observer AM, Principal Dr Na-jele Williams-Buffonge emphasized the importance of the two-year period during which the college prepares secondary school graduates to enter university.
“Reality of the situation is persons finish secondary school at 16. When you look at Toronto or the United States or England, they normally finish at 18. So, basically there’s a gap in maturity, there’s a gap in learning,” Williams-Buffonge said.
“The Antigua State College fills that gap. You have two years that you can mature, you can understand what you’re supposed to be doing, preparing you for tertiary education. So, after that two-year gap, then you’re ready for university,” she added.
Williams-Buffonge also expressed frustration with persistent misconceptions about the ASC, and has invited the public to “see for themselves”.
The initiative comes as the college seeks to rebrand alongside the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus and other tertiary institutions by highlighting expanded offerings across multiple departments, including a growing creative arts program that Williams-Buffonge described as the institution’s “niche”.
“For me, theatre arts and performing arts are our niche programmes compared to various institutions,” she said. “As you know, students now are more diverse. They’re more into the creative industry.”
Public Relations Officer Abigail Valentine said the event would showcase these strengths through live performances and demonstrations, including drone displays from the Industrial Technology (formerly Engineering) department and performances by theatre arts and dance students.
She also said the public would have the opportunity to speak directly with lecturers and department heads to make informed educational choices.
“We hope to grow and learn from it. When parents come, we’ll get an idea of what they want to see in the future. So definitely this is our first but definitely not our last one,” Valentine stated.
Dr Williams-Buffonge noted that special registration discounts will be offered to those who register on the day, encouraging prospective students to take advantage of the college’s affordable tuition compared to overseas institutions.
