The Ministry of Education, Sports, and Creative Industries has announced the departure of Antigua and Barbuda's national delegation to the inaugural OECS Super Regional STEAM Robotics Challenge, a landmark event marking a significant step forward in Caribbean youth innovation and technical education.
The five-day competition runs from March 16 to 20, 2026, at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, where teams from OECS Member States will participate in technical trials, collaborative problem-solving exercises, and innovative design showcases. The event has been the subject of regional discussion for several years and is designed to bridge the gap between local talent and international standards, building on the presence many OECS nations have already established through the First Global robotics challenges.
The Ministry anticipates the challenge will become an annual fixture on the regional academic calendar, fostering a sustainable culture of STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics — excellence across the region.
For this inaugural edition, the Ministry employed a targeted selection model. Tijah Myers, an educator at the Irene B. Williams Secondary School, serves as National Coach. Student competitors Micah Matthew and Michael Harvey were selected from the same institution to ensure coordination and leverage existing working relationships.
The delegation departs with a clear mission: to absorb the full breadth of the regional experience and return home as mentors and catalysts for the growth of Antigua and Barbuda's local robotics community.
Looking ahead, the Ministry intends to introduce a more rigorous national selection process, drawing from talent identified through annual National STEM Camps and partnerships with stakeholders who have championed robotics at the international level.
Funding for the delegation was approved by Cabinet through the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP). The Ministry extended particular recognition to Minister of Education the Honourable Daryll Matthew for his endorsement of the initiative and his efforts in securing resources at the executive level.
The Ministry of Education wished the organisers in St. Kitts and Nevis every success and expressed eagerness to see the impact of the experience when the delegation returns home.
