A group of primary-school children have won awards for their essays on why they admired their dads in the run-up to Father’s Day tomorrow.

A total of eight Primary 5 and Primary 6 pupils were crowned the winners of the third annual Father of the Year essay competition.

Mataio Cameron, the Primary 5 winner, of Northlands Primary School, Pembroke, wrote his father, Cavon Spencer, was a “hard-working man” who treated his schoolmates like his own children.

Mataio added that Mr Spencer was also a cancer survivor who said Mataio was the reason he fought the disease so hard.

Azari Jones, the Primary 6 winner, of Dalton E Tucker Primary School, said her father was a “family man” who showed his family how important they were to him on a regular basis.

The competition, organised by the Ministry of Education and sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, required asked pupils to outline why they valued their fathers in a handwritten essay.

A winner was selected to represent the eastern, central and western school zones in each school year and an overall winner was also selected from each year group.

Tim Jackson, the president of the island chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, said: “Our fraternity was founded on the ideals of scholarship, manly deeds and love of all mankind.”

Dr Jackson added that when Diallo Rabain, the education minister, asked the chapter to join forces with the ministry to put up prizes for the competition, “the brothers reached in their own pockets and readily supported”.

He said: “We are proud of the students who have participated and even more proud of the fathers who provide a strong example for their children to follow and write about.

“On behalf of the Epsilon Theta Lambda chapter, we congratulate the winners.”

Mr Rabain added: “The role parents play in the success of their children is immeasurable and to quote Charles Kettering, ‘every father should remember one day his child will follow his example, not his advice’.”

He said: “Three years ago, we revived the Annual Father’s Day essay competition to allow our students to show how much they appreciate their fathers and to celebrate our fathers.

“Now in its third year, I look forward to reading these essays as they are written from the heart and gives our children a chance to put on paper what special moments they have shared with their fathers.

“I have been told the judging was tough this year. I wish to congratulate the winners and encourage all Fathers to continue to be the shining light in your child’s life.”

The other competition winners were:

Eastern Zone P5 Darian Seymour (St David’s)

Eastern Zone P6 Xazi James (Francis Patton)

Central Zone P5 Prince Domingo (Gilbert Institute)

Central Zone P6 Santonio Cherrington (Victor Scott)

Western Zone P5 David Scott (Heron Bay)

Western Zone P6 Keante Simmons (Dalton E. Tucker)