Retired Principal To Receive National Badge Of Honour For Long And Faithful Service

Retired Principal, Reverend Dirnella M. Anderson, will be nationally recognised with the Badge of Honour for Long and Faithful Service (BH[L]) in acknowledgment of her 59 years of dedicated contribution to education and community development.

She will be conferred with the honour during the Investiture and Presentation Ceremony at King’s House on National Heroes Day, Monday, October 20.

“I never saw myself receiving this. The things that I have done over the years are things that gave me joy, because I love to invest in the lives of people, especially young people,” she tells JIS News.

Rev. Anderson was raised in the rural community of Wisbeach in Clarendon, where a love for reading and the guiding presence of the church shaped her formative years.

“In our little community we had two institutions, the school and the church. We never had entertainment anywhere, except out of school and church. The church gave us our moral compass and school was as important as church.

“I grew up in the New Testament Church of God. At church we were involved. We learned drama and poetry at church, just like we did at school—that was where we were moulded,” she shares.

Rev. Anderson, who was raised in a Christian household, accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and personal Saviour at age 16 in 1960, and was baptised that same year.

“That Christian foundation that I received from home, church and school has been my grounding,” she states.

Reflecting on her career, Rev. Anderson shares that she would not have traded any of her experiences. She candidly admits to JIS News, however, that teaching had not been her initial career choice.

“I wanted to be a missionary nurse in Africa, because I loved history and I always wanted to know more about Africa,” she recounts.

Her late former all-age schoolteacher, Basille Keith DePass, recognised Rev. Anderson’s potential early on and encouraged her to pursue a career in teaching.

With Mr. DePass’ encouragement, she enrolled at Bethlehem Moravian College in St. Elizabeth— formerly Bethlehem Teacher Training College—to pursue studies in General Education. It was there that Rev. Anderson’s passion for teaching took root.

She later earned a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) in Education Administration and Supervision with honours from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.

Rev. Anderson fondly recalls her first teaching experience in 1966 at Kilsyth Primary and Infant School in Clarendon.

“We were like a family. I have a mental picture of the students I had in the class at that time, and I remember some of the names even now. It was such joy to work with them and to see them learning and changing–I found it rewarding,” she shares.

Rev. Anderson subsequently served at several educational institutions, where she not only taught with distinction but also mentored students and young teachers.

Her commitment to mentorship extended beyond the classroom. She served as an advisor to the Central Village Parenting Club, a community initiative based at the New Testament Church of God in Central Village, St. Catherine, where she is a devoted member.

“I was invited to teach Vacation Bible School on several occasions. The pastor eventually invited me to work in the Youth Department,” Rev. Anderson tells JIS News.

She describes that engagement as an opportunity that “glued” her to the ministry since the 1970s.

Rev. Anderson emphasises that the influence of parents on their children serves as a guiding and protective force throughout life.

“Children are the greatest observers. Parents need to set good standards for themselves because, if they set good standards for themselves, it will be copied by the children,” she says.

Rev. Anderson acknowledges the stigma often associated with Central Village. Yet, she highlights the many young people who, despite growing up in under-resourced communities, have remained committed to positive paths and personal growth.

“They got their moral compass from the church and from parents who worked closely with them,” she points out to JIS News.

In 1999, Rev. Anderson earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Counselling Psychology from the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology. Since then, she has been offering free counselling services through her church—a testament to her unwavering dedication to holistic ministry and community well-being.

“Different people have different issues. But most times, you find that they stem from strained relationships and a lack of understanding between adults and young people,” she says.

Rev. Anderson retired from public education in 2004, having served as Principal of Golden Spring Primary School in St. Andrew.

After nearly six decades of service, she remains deeply committed to nurturing others and continues to encourage love, growth, and compassion in all spheres of life.