APPROXIMATELY 91 students at Half -Way Tree Primary School in St Andrew have been recognised with certificates from the leadership of the institution for “perfect attendance” at classes.

At a special event dubbed One Hundred Days in School, held at the St Andrew-based institution Monday, the students were also lauded by the Ministry of Education and Youth for never being absent nor late for school over the prior 100 days.

Senior education officer at the ministry Dr Lorna Thompson, who delivered the keynote address, took the children through a session that dealt with numbers, encouraging them to be familiar with figures as they are an empowering segment of the learning process.

She said perfect attendance means that the students are “fully engaged” and would not have missed crucial parts of the lessons from the teachers, and that they should be on their way to excellence.

For the parents, Dr Thompson said they should continue to do their great job. “Remember that you are the first teachers, and when you set perfect examples for other parents to see, you know that our country will get to where we want it to be,” she said.

Meanwhile, second vice-president of the parent-teacher association Tricia Hamilton Dunkley told the gathering that all the stakeholders of the school must combine their efforts to help the children become “outstanding citizens”.

For principal of the school Carol O’Connor Clarke, the “perfectness” scored by the students must be continued. In addition she said, “I invite the other students who will not receive a certificate for perfect attendance to work hard so that you can join us at the front next year.”

Established in 1924, Half-Way Tree Primary School is one of the Corporate Area’s most prominent educational institutions for primary-level students. The school is dedicated to producing well-rounded pupils who not only excel in the academics but in sports, arts and culture.