Asian education champion presented with MBE
A CARMARTHENSHIRE man who played an instrumental part in education across Asia has been presented with his MBE, more than two years since being named in the 2020 Queen’s New Year Honours.
John Gwyn Jones, who was brought up in Brynamman, was appointed an MBE for services to British education overseas.
He was finally presented with his medal last month at a ceremony held at Buckingham Palace by Princess Royal, Princess Anne.
Mr Jones has spent more than 33 years living and working in South East Asia and is chief executive of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) and lives in Laos.
Having started his career in banking, he trained to become a teacher and in 1986 was seconded by Dyfed County Council to take up a three-year appointment as a curriculum adviser for the British Forces Schools in Hong Kong.
He became an active and founding member of FOBISIA and was appointed the first chairman of the federation.
With the co-operation of the local community as well as the charity Room to Read and the generosity of his son Ben Jones, a school with more than 300 students was established in the province of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka.
This school was dedicated to John in recognition of his commitment to helping improve the lives of young people.
Mr Jones also played a part in rugby back home in Wales and is a former scrum half and club patron of Carmarthen Athletic RFC.
Posting on Twitter, the club celebrated the “gong for John!” and on its website paid tribute by saying: “We extend our sincere congratulations to former scrum half and Club Patron John Gwyn Jones on being awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2020.
“Llongyfarchiadau John Gwyn oddiwrth ffrindiau yn yr Athletic.”