FIVE dedicated teachers from across the country were honoured with the prestigious Badminton World Federation (BWF) Shuttle Time Teachers Certificate last Saturday, 7 December 2026, at Vodafone Arena, presented by Badminton Fiji (BF).
The recipients included Kathrine Powell and Abigail Kamea of Saint Joseph Secondary School, Chrishant Gounder from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School, Rajneel Chand who teaches at Jeremiah Raibevu College and Josephine Caine who is a Badminton Fiji development officer
These awards underscore the federation’s ongoing commitment to developing badminton in schools.
The presentation was a highlight of the successful Badminton Fiji Secondary School tournament, held at Yat Sen School Hall from December 5–7 last year.
The certification workshop took place during the three-day tournament and was coordinated by BF with the aim of making badminton a popular and accessible sport for young people.
It also aimed to foster essential physical and life skills such as coordination, teamwork, and discipline.
By the end of the workshop, the teachers were equipped with the skills and resources necessary to deliver safe and inclusive badminton lessons in their schools.
The BWF Shuttle Time programme is a global initiative designed by BWF to introduce children to badminton in a fun, active, and educational way.
During the awards ceremony, BF emphasised the crucial role teachers play in the future of the sport locally.
“These five educators have demonstrated exceptional dedication with their new skills and resources; we are confident they will inspire hundreds of students to pick up a racket and enjoy badminton.” The awards were presented by legendary sporting icon and former Flying Fijians loose forward Sisa Koyamaibole, who praised the educators for their commitment to growing the sport at grassroots level.
Badminton Fiji is encouraging more schools and teachers to join the programme.
