Panama-born English teacher Jack Icaza has been named Foreign Teacher of the Year 2025 by a prestigious English language academy in Vietnam. In 1979, he attended Florida State University in Panama, and soon after, he began teaching English as a foreign language at all levels, and later at the university level. In 1989, Prof. Jack Icaza obtained the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), and later, he studied for and obtained the Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), both from the University of Cambridge in England. From 1994 to 2016, Prof. Jack worked as an English teacher and translator at The Oxford School here in Panama before setting off to Europe again. Prof. Jack has taught English for over 25 years in several different countries, including England, Spain, Panama, China, and more recently Vietnam. In 1998, Prof. Jack launched his personal book for learning English entitled 'Surviving in English,' especially devised to help people at school, work, or travel. He launched a second edition of the book in January 2022. The Certificate for Best Foreign Teacher of 2025, obtained from Nest Edu Academy in Thai Binh, Vietnam, where he currently works, is well-deserved. He studied primary school at Colegio La Salle before emigrating with his family to his mother's native country of England at age 11. By Jesús Picota Carrillo Translated and edited by Jack R. Icaza Batchelor Jack R. Icaza Batchelor, a long-time English language teacher and a friend of mine, was born in Panama. There, he enrolled at The Cardinal Wiseman High School in London.
