Educator at Immaculate Conception High School in St. Andrew, Shanique Pryce, has been named the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s 2025 Mathematics Teacher of the Year.
She was awarded a cash prize of $100,000, a computer, a trophy and $100,000 for her school.
Ms. Pryce will also be appointed a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics for one year.
Sasha Ashley-Kelly from Pleasant Valley Primary School in Clarendon and Kimberly Todd from Westwood High School in Trelawny placed second and third, respectively.
The outstanding teachers, who were chosen from a pool of 51 nominees, were recognised during Monday’s (March 24) awards ceremony at the Caenwood Auditorium in Kingston.
Ms. Pryce said she was honoured and humbled to receive the prestigious award, which was established in 2013.
“This award is not just a reflection of my work, but of the students who challenge me every day, the colleagues who inspire me and the passion we all share for making mathematics come alive in the classroom,” she stated.
Ms. Pryce said her aspiration as a teacher has always been to make mathematics accessible, engaging and relevant, enabling students, regardless of their background or ability, to recognise and appreciate its beauty and significance.
She dedicated the award to her past and present students, encouraging them to continue questioning, exploring and believing in their ability to succeed.
“Thank you for this incredible honour. I am deeply grateful and I will continue to do my best to make a difference one equation, one graph, one student at a time,” Ms. Pryce said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry’s Region One Regional Mathematics Coordinator, Tamika Lodge-Fenton, who gave an overview of the competition, shared that the national team of judges observed significant improvements in mathematics teaching practices.
“Some of the key trends included increased use of mathematical discourse. Teachers actively engaged students by posing purposeful questions that encourage critical thinking – a positive shift in fostering deeper mathematical understanding,” she shared.
Mrs. Lodge-Fenton also informed that there was greater implementation of the ‘5E’ instructional model.
“More teachers effectively incorporated the ‘engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate’ framework embedded in the National Standards Curriculum,” she indicated.
Additionally, an enhanced use of guided questions was observed, as teachers employed strategic questioning techniques to elicit meaningful responses from students, fostering higher-order thinking skills.