TEACHER at the Windward Road Primary School Richard Burton has walked away with the title and coveted award for Mathematics Teacher of the Year.

Burton, a grade five GSAT teacher, expressed gratitude for being selected winner of the inaugural competition which is sponsored jointly by the Ministry of Education and the Jamaica National Building Society.

“Looking back and seeing how the dream has transformed into reality, I can’t help but feel a sense of gratitude,” Burton told guests at the awards ceremony which included fellow mathematics teachers from across the island.

A teacher for 18 years, Burton spoke of the importance of teachers utilising various resources to become more effective when teaching lessons. According to him, teaching methodologies have changed over the years and teachers are now embracing innovative, interesting and practical ways to enhance the learning experiences of their students.

“The journey ahead is a difficult one but there is reason for optimism. More and more teachers are using problem-solving methodology and best practices when teaching so that the subject can be taught more effectively. There is also the use of technology which promotes a greater understanding and interaction so learning is more fun.”

In addressing the audience at the Mona Visitors Lodge, Education Minister Ronald Thwaites highlighted the initiatives by the ministry to improve the success rates in mathematics nationally in the medium term.

“The Ministry of Education is deploying additional mathematics resource personnel in each educational region. In addition, the ministry has introduced a mathematics policy that will, among other things, set new requirements for the design and delivery of mathematics programmes in teachers’ colleges and for the admission of candidates to the programmes,” he said.

Meantime, Carlton Earl Samuels, assistant general manager, group finance and mortgage operations at JNBS, cited the importance of acquiring competency in applying and demonstrating mathematical skills for Jamaica to benefit from global opportunities.

“In Jamaica right now, our efforts to transform our country into a global logistics hub will require that we improve our competency in maths and science to capitalise on the opportunities that will emerge,” he said.

“Let us do the maths. To become a logistics hub it means we will need engineers of all kinds, we will need accountants; we will need innovators — a workforce competent in mathematics to create the solutions and provide the support necessary to the investments that will emerge and increase productivity.”

An initiative by the Ministry of Education, the Mathematics Teacher of the Year competition is held to highlight the work of outstanding mathematics teachers and promote excellence in the subject by teachers and students alike.

For this year’s staging, there were 34 nominees identified across the ministry’s six educational regions, of which 17 were shortlisted. The other regional finalists were Ian Johnson, Horace McKellop, Joane Haye, Karlene McBean and Paulette Bonner-Hayles.