MONTEGO BAY, St James - DIRECTOR of Region Four in the Ministry of Education Hillary Foster has urged members of the teaching profession to keep abreast of technology.

"As teachers we have always been encouraging you to upgrade yourselves. Principals, we want to encourage you to get your teachers on track. All teachers should have been currently involved in technology in times like these. If we are not careful our students are ahead of us. So we need to be ahead of our students," Foster remarked.

She was speaking last Friday during the Jamaica Observer Western Region Teachers' Award Luncheon held at the Sandals Royal Caribbean Hotel in St James.

The awardees were drawn from the top schools in the region who utilised the Jamaica Observer's educational products -- the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Study Guide, which appears on Tuesdays and the new Thursday magazines Learning Corner which has Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) lessons and exam questions.

Awardees in the primary school category were: Ocho Rios Primary from St Ann; Hague Primary from Trelawny; Corinaldi Primary from St James; Lucea Primary from Hanover; Unity Primary from Westmoreland; Black River Primary from St Elizabeth; and Macintosh Memorial from Spalding Manchester.

In the high school category the awardees were: Spalding High from Manchester; Aabuthnott Gallimore High from St Ann; Holland High from Trelawny; Grange Hill High from Westmoreland; Rusea's High, Campus Two, from Hanover; Anchovy High from St James; and Black River High from St Elizabeth.

The Teacher of the Year Award went to Jennifer Walker of Aabuthnott Gallimore High, while the school was adjudged the top high school. Irwin High, copped the prize for the most improved school.

Two St James schools, Corinaldi Primary and Anchovy High respectively, were each presented with special prizes in the form of a weekend for two at a Beaches Resorts, sponsored by the Sandals Resorts International (SRI).

Registrar of the Sandals Corporate University, Mark Frederick, presented the special prizes on behalf of SRI.

Cheddi Van Creighton Jamaica Observer, Manager, Western Region, gave the welcome and opening remarks, while Circulation Manager Wayne Plummer gave the vote of thanks.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Observer and sponsors, Flow and Seprod, came in for high praises from both the director of Region Four in the Ministry of Education and President-elect of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, Dr Mark Nicely, who is also principal of William Knibb Memorial High School in Trelawny.