The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS from the Ministry of Education’s National Teacher of the Year committee yesterday announced plans for their 2015-2017 award festivities.

Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald said the award was important because “it celebrates the hard work and dedication of the nation’s most important profession”.

“I say over and repeatedly, the teaching profession is the only profession by which every other profession is born and cultivated,” he said at a press conference at his ministry yesterday. “This is our way of recognising all that they do on an individual level to improve our society by developing our children.”

According to ministry officials, some 46 nominees will vie for this year’s title.

Past winners include: Kenneth Romer, Barbara Dorsett, Joan Knowles, Stacy Stubbs, Roderick Rolle, Yorick Sands, Tamika Cartwright, Marcia Musgrove, Afrika Karamo-Miller and the most recent award recipient, Nadia Smith of CC Sweeting Senior High.

Ms Smith said she is relieved to be at the end of her experience, but urged all the nominees to enjoy the moment.

She said: “This award will bring a lot of focus on you, but to whoever wins, embrace the moment and seize this opportunity, and to the winner, carry the prestigious title with honour.”

The award will be presented during a banquet ceremony on Saturday, March 28.