Teachers Honoured for Contribution

Some 100 teachers from primary and secondary schools across the island have been recognised and awarded for their contribution to the profession, by the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) and Carlong Publishers Ltd.

Fifty-seven of these teachers from Regions One, Two and Five were feted and awarded at a Teachers’ Appreciation Luncheon on November 19, at the Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. The ceremony for the other 43 from Regions Three and Four will be hosted in Montego Bay, St. James, next week.

Together with the Ministry of Education Regional Offices, the JTC determined the criteria for the awards and selected the awardees.

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, in his remarks at the function, commended the collaboration between the two entities for the tremendous effort to reward the teachers. “There is no reward that can be too great for our teachers,” he said.

Newly-appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Maurice Smith, in his greetings, also commended the awardees, hailing teachers as being the bedrock of the society.

“Any country that’s going to advance and develop in a meaningful way, must recognize and celebrate teachers. The Ministry of Education is certainly committed to removing the barriers, working with our colleagues across the sector and ensuring that we recognize and reward those who are excelling at the craft,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary further commended Carlong Publishers for advancing this biennial venture.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the JTC, Mr. Karl Gaynor, congratulated the teachers and encouraged them to motivate colleagues with their positivity, high service standards and classroom innovation.

He was bringing remarks on behalf of Chief Executive Officer of the JTC, Dr. Winsome Gordon.

“Let us all continue to forge ahead and create an education system that is coveted by the region and indeed the world,” he said.

Mr. Gaynor said the Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year are to be announced next week.

The JTC, an arm of the Ministry of Education, was established in 2008 under the Education System Transformation Programme, with a mandate to regulate the teaching profession, support and oversee professional development, advocate for, and promote teaching as a profession of choice and provide information driven advisory services.