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The Valley, Anguilla — In a bold move to confront one of the island’s growing educational challenges, the Ministerial Assistant for Sports, Youth and Culture, Jeison Bryan, has announced the launch of a pilot ESL (English as a Second Language) Intensive After-School Program at Adrian T. Hazell Primary School, funded by a US $2,000 sponsorship from the Kelly Family Foundation.

The program, set to begin in January 2026, is designed to dramatically improve English proficiency among primary school students whose first language is not English—including children from the Dominican Republic, China, and Pakistan, representing a rapidly expanding immigrant student population across Anguilla.

Standing alongside Principal Tricia Richardson, Bryan praised the Foundation for stepping forward to meet a critical need in the education system.

“This is not just a donation—it is an investment in our children’s future and in the social fabric of Anguilla,” Bryan stated.

A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO CHANGE OUTCOMES, NOT JUST CLASSROOMS

The initiative goes beyond basic language support. The ESL Intensive Program aims to:

• Strengthen English literacy before students enter high school
• Improve national exam performance among multilingual learners
• Support long-term social integration and academic equity
• Standardize national ESL support across schools

The program will be closely assessed during its pilot phase. If successful, the Kelly Family Foundation has pledged equal funding to expand the initiative to the remaining six primary schools across the island, making it a territory-wide educational reform.

GOVERNMENT & EDUCATION LEADERS PRAISE INITIATIVE

The Government of Anguilla issued official gratitude to the Foundation, describing the contribution as “a meaningful investment in national development.”

Commendations were also extended to:

• Principal Tricia Richardson
• Education Officer, Multi-Professional Support Services, Tracelyn Hamilton

Both were recognized for persistent advocacy and leadership that pushed the project from concept to implementation.

WHY THIS MATTERS: A CHANGING ANGUILLA

With an increasingly diverse population and multilingual classrooms becoming the norm, the island is now confronting a new phase of educational transformation—one where language equity is tied directly to academic success, social cohesion, and economic opportunity.

This initiative marks one of the first structured, government-supported programs explicitly designed to close that gap.

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A Step Toward a More Inclusive Future

This partnership signals a new era in Anguilla’s educational strategy: one that acknowledges cultural diversity not as an obstacle, but as an asset—and ensures every child has the linguistic foundation to thrive.

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#EducationalForAll #EnglishAsASecondLanguage #AcademicSuccess #TimesCaribbeanNews

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