Corporate partners join Prime Minister to honour Canada's outstanding teachers

Partnership was a prominent theme today as Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced the 1996 recipients of the Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence in Science, Technology and Mathematics. Dr. Jon Gerrard, Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development), joined the Prime Minister and corporate leaders at a ceremony to honour national-level winners on Parliament Hill.

"The classroom, indeed the world, is a very different place today than when I was in school," said the Prime Minister. "Young people now face challenges and opportunities that we could not have imagined. Teachers who help their students meet these challenges, who inspire and enable them to achieve their very best, are true national heros. These are the kinds of Canadians that we honour today."

"These teachers have all found innovative ways to make science and math come alive for their students, many through partnerships with business," said Dr. Gerrard. "They help give our youth -- our most precious resource for the future -- the skills and experience they will need to succeed in the new economy."

The Government of Canada has itself struck an innovative partnership with four Canadian companies -- the Royal Bank, Bell Canada, Merck Frosst and DuPont Canada -- to broaden the scope of the Prime Minister's Awards program. The renewed program will maintain its concentration on science, technology and mathematics, but will also honour teachers who best helped their students prepare for the knowledge-based economy by focusing on problem-solving, teamwork and communication skills, and information technologies in the classroom. Recipients will be given Internet access and encouraged to share ideas via a special program listserver. A database of award recipients' lesson plans will also be developed. Nomination forms for the renewed Prime Minister's Awards will be available in the fall of 1997.

During their stay in Ottawa, the 1996 national winners participated in workshops, toured museums and high-technology sites, and shared their best teaching methods with fellow recipients. Following the awards ceremony, Ottawa-area students demonstrated digitized collections of Canadian art and interactive educational projects involving students from remote parts of the country.

A total of 78 awards (15 national, 29 regional and 34 local) were issued from 133 nominations received. The awards recognize elementary and secondary school teachers who have had a major, proven impact on student performance and interest in science, technology and mathematics. All Prime Minister's Award winners receive certificates signed by the Prime Minister and cash awards which are shared with their schools. Recipients at the regional and local level will be honoured by Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, principals, peers and students at community-based events across Canada.

The 1996 award recipients' Exemplary Practices will be compiled and shared with teachers across Canada and around the world via the Prime Minister's Awards Web site, which can be accessed at the end of the following document. Summaries of the achievements of all 1996 recipients, as well as the exemplary practices of previous recipients can also be found on this site.

PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555

Industry Canada: (613) 941-2686