Seventy-nine educators have been selected to receive the Prime Minister’s Medal of Appreciation for Service to Education.

The biennial awards ceremony, to be held on May 28 at Jamaica House, will recognise 39 educators for 2023 and 40 for 2024.

Instituted in 2005, the Prime Minister’s Medal of Appreciation is given to an educator who has served for a minimum of 15 years, displayed exceptional service in the teaching profession and has shown evidence of community involvement, innovation and creativity in service.

Among the 2024 recipients are Managing Director of the HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Taniesha Ingleton, and former President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association and Principal of Golden Spring Primary, Winston Smith.

National Mathematics Coordinator in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Lorna Thompson, and Professor Disraeli Hutton of the University of the West Indies, Mona, are among the 2023 cohort.

A posthumous award will be presented to the late Marsha Allen-Russell of Porus High School in Manchester, who was the second runner-up LASCO Teacher of the Year 2019/20.

The awardees from teacher training institutions are Sylvia Bryan and Dr. Claudette Barrett-March of Shortwood Teachers’ College; Dr. Sadie Harris-Mortley, Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College; Dr. Darien Henry, Montego Bay Community College; Professor Carol Hunter Clarke and Dr. Maureen Mullings-Nelson, The Mico University College; Anthony Norman and Dr. Monica Williams-Dempster, Church Teachers’ College; Dr. Jacqueline Thames of Moneague College; and Isaac Onywere of Bethlehem Moravian College.

Awardees were selected by a committee comprising officials from across the sector. Points were awarded to nominees based on predetermined criteria.

The persons receiving the highest number of points were selected for the prestigious award.

Award recipients are citizens of Jamaica, but in exceptional circumstances a non-citizen may be recommended for the honour.

The number of medals awarded in any year shall not exceed 40.