40 Outstanding Teachers Receive PM’s Medal of Appreciation

A total of 40 educators were recognised for excellence as administrators, teachers and innovators at the Prime Minister’s medal of appreciation ceremony for services to education held yesterday (May 10) at Jamaica House.
Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Holness, in his address, commended the country’s teachers for their outstanding contribution to the education system, including the sacrifices that they continue to make.
“In the worst of times, our educators have sacrificed.when parents have failed, our teachers have stood in their place.when criminals have prevented students from turning up, teachers have braved it and have gone to open up the school gates to get children in school.when students turn up without meals, teachers have gone into their pockets and provided,” he said.
Noting that the country has produced world leaders because of good educators, Mr. Holness told the awardees to wear the medals with the pride and joy it represents, and to “let the nation see that you are a proud teacher, and that your country has recognised your service and your sacrifice”
President of the Jamaica Teacher’s Association (JTA), Mr. Michael Stewart in his remarks, expressed appreciation to Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding for hosting the ceremony, and recognising service through education.
“The importance of this award cannot be over emphasised.the JTA is very proud of you all, because you represent the best qualities in those of us who serve this noble profession,” he stated.
The medals are awarded each year to teachers, who have been serving the education system for at least 15 years, whose service have been outstanding, and who have shown community involvement, innovation, and creativity in their work.
This year’s recipients are: Dr. Dahlia Winsome Repole, Excelsior Community College; Dr. Nadine Scott, Excelsior Community College; Audrey Sewell, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education; and Audrey Williams, Denham Town High from Kingston.
Rhona Anglin, Bethlehem Moravian College; Deloris O’Connor, HEART Trust/NTA; and Pansy Reid-Hutchinson, Llandilo School of Special Education are the awardees from Westmoreland, while Ruby Bartley of Chapleton All Age School; Lawrence Dyer, Hayes Primary and Junior High; and Winston Preddie, May Pen High are the awardees from Clarendon.
The honourees from Hanover are: Horace Baugh, Green Island High; Roydel Forbes, Upper Rock Spring All Age; and Nerris Hawthorne, Ministry of Education; while from Manchester the awardees are: Ruth May Brown, Spaulding Primary School; Rev. Caswell Lloyd Burton, Manchester High; Louise Clarke, Winston Jones High; Lettice Morgan, Bethabara Infant School; and Dottie Smith, Christiana Primary.
From St. Andrew, the recipients are: Pauletta Urcela Chevannes, Change from Within Project; Adora Holness, Duhaney Park Primary; Hazel Keating, St. Joseph’s Teachers’ College; Alice Lowe, Meadowbrook High; Linden Neil, Shortwood Teachers’ College; Rev. Dr. Richmond Isaiah Nelson, International University of the Caribbean; Enid Robotham, School of Excellence; and Alpheus Solan, Swallowfield Primary and Junior High.
Other medal recipients are: Orel Dunstan, Titchfield High; Calvin Renford, Port Antonio High; Dawn Wright, Fellowship Primary; Delores Robertson, Manchioneal All Age and Evelyn Louise Francis-Tugwell, Jamaica Teachers’ Association in Portland; and Yvonne Gordon, Catherine Hall Primary and Infant School; Cleodine Kerr, Goodwill All Age and Infant School in St. James.
Medals were also presented to Rev. Seymour Hutchinson, St. Cyrians Preparatory, St. Mary; and Udeen Hutchinson, Seaforth Primary; Sonia Reid, St. Thomas Kindergarten and Preparatory; and Joel Schott, Aeolus Valley All Age all in St. Thomas.
Rev. Dr. Austin Wright, Jose Marti Technical High, St. Catherine; Lenford Errington McDonald, Moneague Teachers’ College and Inez Thomas, Hoolebury All Age, St. Ann, also received medals.