The Minister of Education, Science and Technology the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald and Lionel Sands, Director of Education are pictured.
NASSAU, The Bahamas –Top finishers in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’s (MOEST) National Education Good Practice Awards were recently honored for their achievements.
The inaugural programme recognizes and promotes people in education who are engaging in best practices to enhance the quality of education. The programme was introduced at the 16th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in South Africa, where The Bahamas’ submission gained an Honourable Mention and in 2015 placed in the top 20.
The Good Practice Awards is a competition among Commonwealth ministries of education, civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations working in the field of education. The award recognizes and promotes good practice in education programmes, projects, policies, strategies or significant interventions that have made a positive difference to the status and conditions of school children, teachers or the education system in respective countries. Criteria for the awards include relevance, measurable impact and effect, sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness, community participation and replication.
For this introductory exercise, participants were invited to make submissions in the following Action Areas: achieving universal primary education, eliminating gender disparities in education, improving quality education, mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS on education systems, supporting education in difficult circumstances, using distance learning to overcome barriers, using education to promote sustainable development and promoting civil paths to peace.
The event was held at Melia Nassau Beach Hotel, Cable Beach. Winners were showcased at the 9th Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education held February 8 and 9 at the Atlantis Resorts, Paradise Island.
In his address, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald said there are those who would have us believe that there is nothing good coming out of our Bahamian education system – that the policies and the initiatives that are making a real difference in the lives of our students aren’t working. But we know the truth and the ten best practices on display here tonight, along with the hard working administrators, teachers and students sitting in this room and throughout the country, prove the naysayers wrong.
“Let me assure you, we won’t let those out there who seek to tear us down, diminish the hard work that you have done and we also won’t let them distract us from our continued vision for education. We have laid a foundation of excellence, as demonstrated here tonight, and the work will continue in the years to come,” he added.
Minister Fitzgerald congratulated the participants and winners on their outstanding achievements. He also extended appreciation to Donella Bodie, Permanent Secretary, and her team for coordinating a successful event.
“The MOEST is clearly raising the bar and committing itself to the use of best practices even in how we award our participants, who deserve this esteemed recognition and even more. I am positive that the National Education Good Practice Award Ceremony will continue to be an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable achievements of educators in the years to come,” he said.
Submissions to the National Education Good Practice Award were: Future Teachers of The Bahamas, Bahamas All-Stars, Old Bight High School, St. John’s College, Catholic Board of Education, Bahamas National Trust, H.O. Nash Junior School, Aquinas College, Centreville Primary School and the Pre-School Unit.
The top three finishers of the awards were:
First Place Winner: Discovery Club Bahamas – $10,500 and $7k toward professional development
1st Runner Up – Integrated Technical and Vocational Programme – $7,500
2nd Runner Up – Future Teachers of the Bahamas – $5,000
Honorable Mention Yonell Justilien – Bahamas All-Star Band
