Antigua State College classes to be held at Five Islands campus

The government’s plan to have the fourth University of the West Indies campus at Five Islands by September 2018 is now beginning to take shape.
Lionel “Max” Hurst, Cabinet chief of staff, said that in an agreement with the Antigua State College (ASC) principal, the School of Business and the School of Nursing will be moved to the Five Islands campus by the middle of next month. He was speaking on OBSERVER AM yesterday.
There is some consideration to creating a School of Law and a School of Engineering, which will be located there too once they are established, according to Hurst.
 “The only reason the School of Nursing hasn’t been moved from the Redcliffe Street location is because we must do a simulated emergency room arrangement at the new campus, and that is under construction. We are awaiting some very expensive equipment to arrive this weekend and installed next week,” said Hurst.
To make the students comfortable and provide all the tools necessary for success, Hurst said that air conditioning units are being installed, a library will be completed and landscaping installation is underway.
A number of parents and students from the ASC School of Business said the move was not properly calculated. They feel as if the decision was thrust upon them at the last minute. In response to the complaint, Hurst said the move was part of the adjustments that had to be made to facilitate the number of college applications they received to this year.
“There are 1200 students making applications to attend State College, and there just aren’t that many seats,” Hurst said. “So we have to make some adjustments. There is no doubt about it.”
Hurst believes that the idea of students attending school at the Five Islands campus should be welcomed rather than frowned upon.
  Students from the ASC School of Education have already started attending classes at the Five Islands campus.