KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Spanish Embassy in Jamaica has awarded Sunderland Primary School in East Central St James for their role in Spain’s Peace and Cooperation School Award competition.

Principal, Noel Burgess and several students from the institution were presented with a diploma of international recognition, and other gifts by Chargé d’Affaires, Carmen Rives, at the Embassy’s New Kingston offices yesterday.

The school earned the diploma in the prestigious competition for their teacher project proposal, ‘Green Nutrigation Grow Box’, in the Technological Creation and Innovation category of the 2015 edition of the competition.

In her remarks, Rives noted that the international recognition was important because of its impact on education.

 “There is nothing more important in a country than education, because it is what makes us free. It is what makes us free to have critical thinking and to be independent persons,” she said.

She continued that education is important, especially in the decision-making process.  Rives also emphasised the importance of teachers and their impact on the development of students.

The Chargé d’Affaires is also hoping to get first-hand knowledge of how the device works during a trip to the school in the near future.

Meanwhile, Burgess in explaining the inner workings of the simple agricultural innovation, informed that it aims to, among other things, grow crops and ornamental plants.

 “In effect, it can be used to produce food or generate income, so that peace can be fostered and encouraged, food security can be maintained and there can be sharing of information,” he said.

For his part, Director of Safety and Security in Schools in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Coleridge Minto, said that the competition, which was announced in a bulletin sent to schools in 2015, is being “fully endorsed” by the ministry.

 “We are pleased to partner with the Spanish Embassy. We are pleased you could open this avenue to them,” he said.

Organised by the Peace and Cooperation Foundation and its founder, Joaquín Antuña, the actions of the non-governmental organisation have centred around promoting a movement of non-violence and creativity and on building a world of solidarity.