Kuala lumpur: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has congratulated Dr Velerie Wheeler von Primus on being named the Southeast Asia and Pacific regional winner of the 2026 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards. In a Facebook post, Fadhlina described the achievement as a proud moment for the country's education community, recognising Velerie's continued contributions to strengthening inclusive education in Sabah. 'Once again, Dr Velerie Wheeler von Primus has made the education community and the country proud. This time, he has been named the Southeast Asia and Pacific regional winner of the 2026 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards,' she posted.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Velerie, a senior assistant and Special Education teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Bingkor, is recognised for his contributions to empowering the education of neurodivergent students and advancing inclusive learning approaches in rural areas. He is among nine global regional winners of the 2026 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards, which recognise outstanding teachers worldwide for their contributions to student education and well-being.

Previously, Velerie was named the winner of the Malaysia Teacher Prize 2024 for his efforts in championing special education and inclusive learning innovations in Sabah.