Shanique Pryce, an educator at Immaculate Conception High School in St. Andrew, has been named Jamaica’s Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s 2025 Mathematics Teacher of the Year.
Pryce was awarded a cash prize of $100,000, a computer, a trophy, and an additional $100,000 for her school. She will also serve as 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 secured second and third place, respectively.
The outstanding teachers, selected from a pool of 51 nominees, were recognized during an awards ceremony held on Monday, March 24, at the Caenwood Auditorium in Kingston.
Expressing her gratitude, Pryce described the recognition as an honor and a humbling experience.
“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 said, recognizing her students and fellow teachers at Immaculate Conception High.
Pryce emphasized her commitment to making mathematics accessible, engaging, and relevant, ensuring that students of all backgrounds and abilities can appreciate its significance. She dedicated the award to her past and present students, encouraging them to keep questioning, exploring, and believing in their ability to succeed.
“Thank you for this incredible honor. I am deeply grateful and will continue to do my best to make a difference—one equation, one graph, one student at a time,” she added.
Meanwhile, Tamika Lodge-Fenton, Region One Regional Mathematics Coordinator at the Ministry, highlighted significant improvements in mathematics teaching practices observed by the national team of judges.
“Some of the key trends included increased use of mathematical discourse, where teachers actively engaged students by posing purposeful questions that encourage critical thinking. This marks a positive shift in fostering deeper mathematical understanding,” she noted.
Lodge-Fenton also pointed to a greater implementation of the ‘5E’ instructional model, which incorporates engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate, a framework embedded in the National Standards Curriculum.
Additionally, teachers demonstrated an enhanced use of guided questions, employing strategic techniques to elicit meaningful responses from students and promote higher-order thinking skills.
The Mathematics Teacher of the Year award, established in 2013, continues to recognize excellence and innovation in mathematics education across Jamaica.
