-$350,000 in prizes given out

SIX outstanding teachers from the primary and secondary levels were on Thursday last honoured as Region Six Teachers of the Year Awardees when the nine cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS, and Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society (DMLAS) hosted their first event “Region Six Teacher of the Year Programme.” Three of the awardees were honoured for teaching the top three Grade Six Students in Region Six, while the remaining three were recognised for their tutoring of secondary school students at the 2017 CSEC Examinations.

Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster hailed the event as another historic moment in the outstanding history of the club and disclosed that over the last 27 years no other NGO or sports club has impacted the lives of youths like the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club.
Teachers, Foster stated, are the unsung heroes of the education system because the emphasis is always on students. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, he noted, has always honoured outstanding teachers with programmes such as the Bank of Nova Scotia Tribute to Teachers, Tribute to Retired Teachers, the Ansa Mcal Award of Excellence and Tribute to Head Teachers among others.
The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club contribution to education also includes education scholarships, sponsorship of educational competitions, distribution of schoolbags, exercise books, footwear and uniforms to less fortunate students, assistance to schools, Outstanding Students Award Scheme, Television Commercials, Summer Camp, Youth Review Magazine and Youth Information Booklets.

The long-serving Secretary/CEO stated that the objectives of the RHTYSC/DMLAS award scheme were to identify and honour outstanding teachers, to inspire teachers in Region Six to aim for the highest standard and to provide role models for younger teachers. The six awardees were selected by the Region Six Ministry of Education. The top teachers at the Primary Level were Yamanie Jaiprasad of Belvedere Primary with Karamand Ramash of Sheet Anchor Primary and Kamlawattie Sooknanan of All Saints Primary as the first and second runners-up. Ms. Malini Dilraj of Tagore Secondary copped the Best Secondary School Teacher Award with Shenelly Kendall and Cordicia Grimmond of Berbice High School as the runners-up. Foster urged all the teachers to uphold their high standards and to be the best role models to their students. He also disclosed that the event would be an annual one with plans to include a Nursery School Award Programme, while the top teachers will be featured in a special television documentary.

Mayor of Rose Hall Town, Vijai Ramoo, praised the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club for the outstanding work it was doing and urged the large gathering of students to be respectful to their teachers. Regional Educational Officer Ms. Volita Jaikishun hailed the award scheme as a great incentive for teachers and noted that teaching is the profession that creates other professions. She hailed the visionary planning of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and its cricket teams and the financial support of Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society.

Marketing Manager of Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society, Mr. Clarence Perry, stated that the company enjoys a large amount of business with teachers and as such was delighted to be associated with the programme. Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society, Perry noted, strongly believes in education as the foundation of a successful life and as such, it is always important to honour those who educate our youths. The insurance company would work along with the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club to expand the programme in 2018 and he praised the club for the role it is playing in making a positive difference in the lives of others.

The winners of both categories received $100 000.00, the first runner-up $50 000.00 and second runner-up $25 000.00 each. Each of the awardees also received a trophy, a Medal of Excellence and a Framed Certificate of Honour. The nine cricket teams arranging the event were Poonai Pharmacy Under-13, Farfan & Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Females, Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 and First Division.