Two Antiguan Students Selected for Prestigious Caribbean STEM Programme

Two outstanding young students from Antigua and Barbuda have secured coveted positions in the 2026 Student Programme for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE), opening the door for them to collaborate and learn alongside the Caribbean’s most promising emerging STEM talents. The nation’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology made the official announcement this Friday, confirming that Ajenai Charles and Kha-Lique Harris will depart this weekend for Barbados to complete the programme’s intensive residential learning segment. In an official statement released to the public, the ministry extended warm congratulations to the selected pair, praising them as extraordinary young representatives of Antigua and Barbuda who will carry their nation’s pride into an experience of advanced academic study and cross-regional collaborative problem-solving. “We wish them every success as they continue to represent Antigua and Barbuda with pride,” the statement read. SPISE is widely recognized as one of the Caribbean’s most competitive youth STEM initiatives, structured as an immersive, intensive program that integrates rigorous university-level coursework, targeted leadership skill building, and hands-on practical training across all STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The program was developed specifically to equip high-achieving secondary students from across the Caribbean with the foundational skills and networks needed to build successful long-term careers in fast-growing STEM sectors. Both selected students currently pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) at Island Academy International, with distinct academic backgrounds prior to their enrollment: Charles is a graduate of Christ the King High School, while Harris completed his earlier secondary education at St. Joseph’s Academy. Beyond celebrating the individual achievements of Charles and Harris, the ministry emphasized that their selection to the competitive program is a tangible reflection of Antigua and Barbuda’s sustained, long-term investment in advancing academic excellence and nurturing the next generation of homegrown innovators in STEM fields.