The Ensom City Primary School in St Catherine honoured five former teachers who gave a total of 192 years of service to the classroom.

Hundreds of former colleagues, students, friends and representatives from the community flocked the 33-year-old institution to pay homage to Dr Abigail Cooper, for 40 years; Rose Mary Connell-Bingham, for 38 years; Leonie Thompson, for 41 years; Megsie Jackson, for 40 years; and Pauline Ffrench, who spent 33 years in the classroom.

Citations were read about each honouree, and they all have one thing in common, their total dedication to primary school education since none taught at any other level.

"I will not hesitate to tell you that these ladies must be lauded for the time that they dedicated to moulding the lives of many who they cause to be productive persons in society and, to be quite frank, they really show that the primary school is the strength of the education system," remarked Stanley Jones, principal of Ensom City Primary School.

The teachers, who taught between 26 to 32 years at the institution, were lauded by their peers as being instrumental in the growth of the school.

Hard to replace

"Dem teacha deh a good people and those are the type that schools need. Good teachers are still needed in the classroom, those are simply fine teachers who will be hard to replace," Dionne Black, a past student, told The Gleaner.

While the teachers sat and basked in the glory, they were brought to tears by the sweet voice of Corine Earle who gave a splendid rendition of Great Is Thy Faithfulness.

Although they are retired, they were reminded that teaching is the only profession that continues throughout one's lifetime.