PRINCIPAL of Zion Hill Primary Lenford Purcell and teacher at Vauxhall High School Christine Josephs beamed with pride on July 11 as they received the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Golden Torch Award for sterling service to Jamaica’s education sector.

Purcell, who heads the St Mary-based institution, said he is “grateful to be recognised”.

He recalled that after completing high school, he had no interest in becoming an educator and spent his days helping his father sell kerosene oil and newspapers.

When his friend left his job as mathematics teacher at Highgate Continuation in 1982, he was approached by the principal to be his replacement, but he had no qualifications, only a passion for the subject.

He was reluctant and declined the offer twice but when the new academic year began in August 1982, he was asked a third time and accepted.

“I was more inclined to be an accountant, but she took me on and I went there for two years and I loved the job. I went to Mico after that and trained as a teacher. I graduated in 1988 and then I went to Highgate Primary for 20 years,” he shared.

At Highgate Primary, formerly Highgate Junior High, he taught mathematics to grade seven, eight and nine students.

He transitioned to Zion Hill Primary in 2008 where he has been serving as principal since.

In addition to his duties in steering the direction of the school, Purcell spends time in the classroom teaching grade six students preparing for the Primary Exit Profile exams.

“I implemented a reading programme, which is doing really well because some of our students are not good readers and you have to help them to move forward because without reading, they won’t make it,” he said.

His greatest joys are seeing students improving and receiving good examination results.

“I am not in teaching for the money. I have a degree in management studies, and I have never gone on to utilise that because I love teaching,” said the educator who has dedicated 40 years of service.

Purcell will be retiring soon but his days of teaching are far from over, as he plans to host classes for students who need to resit Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) mathematics.

Like Purcell, Josephs’ career in education began in her teen years.

The teacher at the Kingston-based Vauxhall High School said she was “elated and ecstatic” to receive the award for 43 years of dedicated service.

After completing her food and nutrition course at Girls’ Town Jamaica with high commendation, she was called immediately after graduation to teach the course at the same institution.

“Having done that, it felt rewarding because you would see persons who never had the knowledge and the skill improve. I went on and did some further studies at the VTDI, then I gained employment at Vauxhall High School,” she shared.

Primarily a food and nutrition teacher, she also teaches business basics and religious education.

For decades she has been preparing students to sit CSEC food and nutrition.

Josephs recalled that she once had a student who did not show much interest in the subject and was initially resistant to the support she offered.

“After she did the exam, she said ‘Miss, thank you for believing in me’. Every August when the results are out, that’s where I get my satisfaction,” she said. The educator shared that her family has always been there for her, encouraging her during difficult times.

Come November, she will be retiring and her first plan of action is to relax.

“If a job offer comes up, something that’s not very challenging or difficult, then I’ll do it,” she said with a smile.

A total of 206 teachers were recognised at the awards ceremony which was held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

The Golden Torch Award for service to education was instituted by the JTA in 1991, and the first awards were presented in 1993. Now in its 30th year, more than 7,000 educators have received the award.