The Ministry of Education and Training and the Department of Education Services will honour 17 government school teachers with the inaugural Outstanding Teacher Awards during Education Month 2026, which begins Sunday, 4 Oct.
The teachers were nominated by their colleagues and their principals made the final selections. Thirteen teachers will receive their awards at a Teacher Appreciation Gala on Saturday, 10 Oct., in Grand Cayman. Another four will receive their awards at a ceremony in Cayman Brac.
“I am the product of the Cayman Islands education system, so I know firsthand how much one good teacher can shape a student’s future,” Education and Training Minister, Hon. Rolston Anglin said. “These awards allow us to recognise some of our standout educators, while Education Month as a whole is our chance to thank all our teachers and to celebrate our students and graduates.”
This year’s theme is “Growing Minds, Transforming Lives.” The month begins with a church service at 11 a.m. on Sunday, 4 Oct., at Stake Bay Baptist Church in Cayman Brac. Educators, parents, students and other community members are welcome to attend.
Monday, 5 Oct., is World Teachers’ Day. The ministry and department ask every student to thank a teacher that day with a kind word, a handwritten note or some small gesture of appreciation.
Students and graduates will also be celebrated during the month. Outstanding Government school students will be featured on the ministry’s social media pages throughout October, and a newspaper feature will highlight government high school honour graduates. About 50 people who finished university degrees by September 2026 will be recognised in a newspaper advertisement.
All Government and private schools are encouraged to hold their own Education Month activities and share them on Facebook and Instagram by tagging Cayman Islands Ministry of Education and Training on Facebook or Instagram. The general public can also take part by sharing stories about teachers who made a difference in their lives.