Two Teachers from Alicante Nominated for the ‘Goya of Education’ Awards

Two teachers working in the province of Alicante, Manuel Martínez Sirvent and Joaquín Marzá Mercé, are vying to become the best teachers in Secondary and Baccalaureate, and Primary respectively across Spain. The former, a native of Callosa de Segura, has been named a finalist for Best Teacher in Spain 2025 at the EDUCA ABANCA Awards, known as the ‘Goya of Education’.

Martínez Sirvent teaches at the Diocesan Seminary San Miguel of Orihuela and at CEU Jesús María of Alicante, and with his nomination, he has placed among the top ten teachers in the country in his category, a commendable feat considering there were over 1,200 teachers nominated nationwide. Meanwhile, Marzá Mercé works as a Primary teacher at the Manuel Riquelme Public School in Hurchillo, a district of Orihuela.

The nominee for the Secondary and Baccalaureate awards expressed deep gratitude upon receiving the recognition: «It is an immense joy and a gratitude difficult to express. Being part of this group is an honour shared with my students, my colleagues, my family, and all who believe in the transformative power of education.»

For this Alicante native (who was also nominated for these awards and was a finalist in 2019), «teaching is not just a profession, but a vocation that transforms lives.» The teacher also dedicated this recognition to his two «educational homes»: «The CEU Jesús María School of Alicante was my maternal home, where my teaching vocation was born. The Diocesan Seminary San Miguel of Orihuela is my adopted home, where I grew as a student and today have the privilege to educate. Returning there has been a reunion with my own history and with the purest sense of teaching.»

Resolution of the Award

The EDUCA ABANCA Awards 2025 Gala will be held on January 31, 2026, in A Coruña, where the winner of each category will be revealed. The awardees will receive a statuette, a certificate, and a cash prize of 1,000 euros.

In this edition, a tribute will also be paid to Valencian teacher José Luis Marín Carbonell, founder of the Siglo XXI schools in Valencia, who passed away during the DANA that affected the Valencian Community in 2024.