The IES Yaiza receives recognition from Education for its triathlon

The Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands celebrated this Friday in Los Realejos (Tenerife) the award ceremony for the Viera y Clavijo 2025 Distinctions, the highest decoration that the department led by Poli Suárez grants to the individual and collective careers of referents who have contributed significantly to the development and improvement of the non-university educational system of the islands. 

Since their creation in October 2000, these distinctions have honored the dedication and work of those who have worked intensely for the education of the archipelago.

In this edition, held precisely in the Teatro Cine of the town that 295 years ago saw the birth of the greatest exponent of the Enlightenment in the Canary Islands, José Antonio de Viera y Clavijo, seven individuals and three schools have been recognized during a ceremony presided over by Suárez and attended by the mayor, Adolfo González. 

For their exemplary dedication to teaching and the exercise of their duties, the recipients of the Viera y Clavijo 2025 distinctions have been Demetrio Darias Díaz, Gregorio F. Hernández Pérez, and María del Mar Díaz Mirabal, who spoke on behalf of all the awardees, as well as José Luis Barba Gutiérrez, Óscar Luis Troya Santana, Jaime Mir Payá, and Raúl Saavedra López (the latter two posthumously), recognized for their outstanding participation in achieving educational goals of participation, equity, and quality in the islands' educational system.

As for the schools awarded for their merits in innovation, good practices, values education, or interdisciplinary projects on Canarian content, the secondary education institutes (IES) El Médano, in Tenerife, and Yaiza, in Lanzarote, as well as the Early Childhood and Primary Education Center (CEIP) El Roque, in La Palma, have been decorated.

During his speech, which was preceded by an emotional performance by the Gran Canaria verse-singer Yeray Rodríguez along with students from the Compulsory Education Center (CEO) Andrés Orozco of Arafo and the CEIPs of Ingenio Chano Sánchez and Profesor Carlos Socas, Suárez referred to the awardees, whose careers he reviewed, as "the best of our educational system," to finally thank "the effort, commitment, and dedication" of people who have understood that "educating does not consist solely in transmitting knowledge, but in helping others find their place in the world."

In this regard, the counselor referred to the educational centers of the islands as "spaces of collectivity" and "people who complement each other," "where boys and girls learn and mature," so that, over the years, they continue "remembering a phrase, a piece of advice, or that gesture from a male or female teacher that, without anyone knowing it at the time, ended up marking their lives forever."

Thus, and although today "ten benchmarks of island education" were especially recognized, Suárez wanted to pay tribute to those "tens of thousands of people who on each of the eight islands, each with their role, dedicate their lives to the noble profession of teaching and caring in each classroom and educational center of our land." 

Thanks to them, said the counselor, "there are thousands of lives that today are a little better," even more so "in tumultuous times," "of polarization" and "permanent arguments," where the educational field acquires a "more fundamental" role by "reinforcing empathy, listening to others, critical thinking with respectful and reasoned expression," "reinforcing the values that unite us more than the differences that divide us" and representing something that remains intact: "the importance of a good male or female teacher," whom he referred to as "people who care for us, protect us, and guide us."  

"Absolutely all of us are the result of one or more people who believed in us even before we believed in ourselves, and therein lies the greatness of these professions that contribute to forging great people and futures," highlighted Poli Suárez, who concluded that "we will continue working to strengthen our educational system, support each and every one of you in your field, and to continue building a more inclusive, more innovative education with more opportunities for all."

PROFILES AND MERITS

IES Yaiza

The IES Yaiza has consolidated over more than two decades the Triatlón de Yaiza educational project, an initiative that integrates physical activity as the backbone of the center's life. This project has allowed the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits and the consolidation of a unique identity within the educational community.

The proposal combines sports practice with values such as perseverance, effort, and teamwork, involving students in an educational process that transcends the strictly academic sphere. Its continuity over time reflects the center's commitment to this educational model.

Furthermore, the project has contributed to positioning the center as a benchmark in the integration of sport within the curriculum, fostering social development and exchange, as the event includes the participation of many other centers in Lanzarote.

Demetrio Darias Díaz

A teacher at CIFP César Manrique and IES La Guancha for over three decades in the Image and Sound professional field, Demetrio Darias established himself as one of the key figures in the development of audiovisual training in the Canary Islands. His career was marked by a constant connection with the professional sector, acting as a link between the educational sphere and the archipelago's audiovisual industry.

Retired last September, he completed a career in which he promoted student participation in reference festivals and spaces such as FICMEC, MiradasDoc, and the La Orotava Short Film Festival, facilitating real creation and dissemination experiences. He also contributed decisively to the projection of CIFP César Manrique, participating in its positioning within the National Network of Centers of Excellence in Image and Sound.

Recognized with the Giner de los Ríos National Award and the Honorary Award of the La Orotava Short Film Festival, his work stood out for integrating innovation, creativity, and employability, leaving a significant mark on generations of students and on the development of the audiovisual sector in the Canary Islands.

Gregorio Fernando Hernández Pérez

Director of CIFP Las Indias since 2008, Gregorio Hernández has promoted a center model based on innovation, sustainability, and internationalization, making it a benchmark within Vocational Training. Under his leadership, the center has implemented certified quality management systems, as well as a pioneering R&D&I system in the non-university educational field.

He has promoted the development of large-scale European projects, such as Three – Creating Competences for a Circular Economy or VEST – European Traditional Clothing, in addition to initiatives linked to Erasmus+ and applied innovation, such as Skills for Wellness or BIGS. At the national level, he has led projects such as Las Indias Emprende Lab or open innovation initiatives linked to the audiovisual and creative sector.

Likewise, he has consolidated unique training cycles in the Canary Islands, such as Professional Characterization and Makeup or Personal and Corporate Image Consulting, and has positioned the center as a benchmark in sustainability, being the first to calculate and certify its carbon footprint. His career has been recognized with awards such as the Educational Center Excellence Award or various distinctions for his commitment to equality and innovation. 

María del Mar Díaz Mirabal

With more than forty years of experience linked to the educational system, María del Mar Díaz Mirabal has developed her work mainly in the field of educational evaluation from the Canary Agency for University Quality and Educational Evaluation (ACCUEE). For four years, she also played a key role as coordinator of Adult Education.

Díaz has coordinated diagnostic evaluations in the Canary Islands and has collaborated as an expert with the National Institute for Educational Evaluation in the development of evaluation frameworks, especially in the field of Spanish Language and Literature. Furthermore, she has held responsibilities in the coordination of adult education, contributing to expanding training opportunities in different contexts.

Her career combines technical knowledge with a clear public service vocation, providing tools for the improvement of the educational system and actively participating in teacher training and in the implementation of educational policies aimed at equity and quality.

José Luis Barba Gutiérrez

Professor of Biology and Geology and teacher at IES Villa de Firgas, José Luis Barba concluded in 2022 a career of more than forty years marked by innovation in science teaching and by his ability to awaken scientific vocations. His teaching work was always linked to experimentation, laboratory work, and inquiry-based learning.

Barba was the driving force and coordinator of numerous educational projects, including Erasmus+ programs, STEAM initiatives, and projects such as Georrutas, Un mar de ciencias, or Investigo, Aprendo y Comunico, in addition to actively participating in the Red Canaria InnovAS. He also collaborated with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the development of innovative educational experiences.

During his career, he stood out as a promoter of the Biology Olympiad in the Canary Islands and for his involvement in international programs such as ENO, as well as supporting students in research competitions such as the Don Bosco Award. Even after his retirement, he continues to actively collaborate at the center, especially in laboratory practices and in inclusion projects for migrant students.

Jaime Mir Payá (posthumous award)

Director of IES San Matías between 2007 and 2011, Mir stood out for promoting an educational model committed to sustainability, inclusion, and the opening of the center to its social environment. During his tenure at the head of the institute, he promoted important transformations that marked its educational identity.

He was a pioneer in the incorporation of renewable energies in the educational field, with the installation of solar panels at the center in 2010, and promoted the creation of the School Museum as a learning space linked to the island's heritage. Furthermore, he founded the solidarity association AulaRed, aimed at supporting people in situations of social exclusion.

He also promoted the arrival of Vocational Training at the center, expanding its educational offerings and generating new opportunities for students. His legacy remains as an example of commitment to an education connected with social and environmental reality.

Raúl Saavedra López (posthumous award)

Raúl Saavedra was a reference figure in the Canary Islands in the field of mediation and school coexistence, developing his work as an advisor and trainer for the Ministry of Education and maintaining a strong link with the municipality of Gáldar. His career focused on the peaceful resolution of conflicts in educational centers, families, and communities.

He was the founder of the Interdisciplinary Institute for Conflict Resolution (REDECO), from which he promoted tools and methodologies for mediation, becoming a benchmark in this field. Furthermore, he developed training materials for the Ministry on school coexistence and violence prevention, contributing to their implementation in numerous centers.

His commitment and impact on the educational community were widely recognized, being awarded the Gold Medal of the city of Gáldar. His legacy endures as an example of education based on dialogue and the construction of safe environments.

Óscar Luis Troya Santana

Retired teacher and director of up to three primary schools – La Calzada, Cazadores, and Agua de Bueyes – Óscar Luis Troya developed a twenty-seven-year career marked by his commitment to rural schools and to an education deeply connected with the environment. Throughout his career, he also held management positions, consolidating a comprehensive profile within the educational system.

His work particularly stood out in the field of inclusion, with continuous work with students with specific educational support needs, particularly those with hearing impairments. He promoted specific projects such as the creation of school gardens, educational farms, and collaborative dining hall systems, integrating learning with the daily lives of students.

In addition, he promoted intergenerational experiences and community projects with the aim of strengthening the link between the school and its environment, being nominated for this distinction by up to thirteen educational centers in the area. His career reflects a firm commitment to education that is close and adapted to the reality of the rural environment.

IES El Médano

The IES El Médano has developed a diverse and innovative educational project that integrates inclusion, internationalization, and the improvement of coexistence as fundamental axes. Among its initiatives, the implementation of a welcome classroom—one of the two existing in the Canary Islands—stands out, as does its participation in the Juntas en la Misma Dirección project, aimed at the integration of students and their families.

The center also has Erasmus+ accreditation linked to its Enclave classrooms, where it promotes specific proposals such as the Printingenclave printing workshop, which favors the development of students' personal and professional skills. Added to this is the implementation of the CLIL program in English at all levels of ESO and the uniqueness of being the only center in the archipelago that offers sports education in sailing.

Likewise, the institute actively participates in multiple educational programs such as Brújula 2.0, the Newton Canarias Mathematics Project, the Plan for Positive Coexistence Centers, or initiatives such as Active Recesses, the ecological school garden, or the Cinedfest educational film festival, configuring a comprehensive, committed, and inclusive educational proposal.

CEIP El Roque

The CEIP El Roque, in Los Llanos de Aridane, has consolidated itself as a reference center for educational inclusion in the Canary Islands, with special attention to students with motor disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, an area in which it has been a preferred center since 2018. This work has earned it the recognition with the Distinction of Excellence for Innovative Centers in Educational Inclusion in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Its educational project is committed to heritage education, incorporating elements of the archipelago's culture such as the timple or Canarian wrestling into its pedagogical proposal, thus fostering students' roots and knowledge of their environment.

In addition, the center actively participates in numerous educational programs such as CLIL, the Canarias InnovAS Network, CinEdFest, esTEla, Ecological School Gardens, Storytelling Meeting, or A Tree in My Yard, in addition to having a school radio and choir, configuring a very complete proposal for its educational community.

Through the Viera y Clavijo Awards, the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports reaffirms its commitment to recognizing talent, excellence and educational innovation, as well as to highlighting the fundamental role played by the educational community in building the future of the Canary Islands.