A total of seven teachers and three educational centers from the Canary Islands were honored this Friday with the Viera y Clavijo Awards 2025, the highest distinction awarded by the regional government's Ministry of Education. These awards recognize the careers of those who have significantly contributed to the development and improvement of the non-university education system in the islands.
The ceremony took place at the Los Realejos Cinema Theater, in Tenerife, a symbolic location as it was the birthplace of José Antonio de Viera y Clavijo, a key figure of the Canarian Enlightenment. The Minister of Education, Poli Suárez, presided over the event, accompanied by the local mayor, Adolfo González.
Among the honored teachers are Demetrio Darias Díaz, Gregorio F. Hernández Pérez, and María del Mar Díaz Mirabal, for their exemplary dedication to teaching. Additionally, recognition was given to José Luis Barba Gutiérrez, Óscar Luis Troya Santana, Jaime Mir Payá, and Raúl Saavedra López (the latter two posthumously) for their participation in achieving educational objectives related to participation, equity, and quality.
The awarded educational centers were IES El Médano (Tenerife), IES Yaiza (Lanzarote), and CEIP El Roque (La Palma), recognized for their merits in innovation, good practices, values education, and interdisciplinary projects focused on Canarian content.
“"Absolutely all of us are the result of one or several people who believed in us"
Minister Poli Suárez highlighted that the awardees represent "the best of our educational system," thanking them for their "effort, commitment, and dedication." He emphasized that educating goes beyond transmitting knowledge, involving helping individuals find their place in the world, and underscored the role of schools as "spaces of collectivity."
Suárez stressed the work of "tens of thousands of people" who dedicate their lives to teaching on the islands, stating that "there are thousands of lives that are a little better today" thanks to them. He emphasized the importance of education in fostering empathy and listening in the current context of "polarization."
