Ten teachers in Barbados who exemplify excellence will be awarded the title of Royal Fidelity National Distinguished Teacher at the inaugural awards to be held in September next year.
Royal Fidelity Merchant Bank and Trust (Barbados) Limited in association with the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) announced plans yesterday for this new community initiative.
The awards are open to both the public and private teaching sectors, and nominations will be accepted for nursery, primary, secondary as well as tertiary level and special needs teachers. Teachers must be full-time classroom teachers employed in Barbados’ educational system and have at least five years’ teaching experience by January 1, 2011, to qualify. Award-winning teachers will receive $2 000 and also a $1 000 Professional Enhancement Grant.
Minister of Education and Human Resource Development Ronald Jones conveyed the Government’s support, saying: “Any opportunity to highlight or bring into focus those positive and outstanding aspects of what our teachers do daily must be encouraged.”
In highlighting the key role played by teachers, BUT president Karen Best said: “Barbados’ educational system has demonstrated its capacity for producing outstanding students.” However, she noted that the world seldom notices who the teachers were. (LK)
