Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Tuesday received outstanding students, who obtained the highest scores in the General Secondary Certificate Exam (tawjihi), and commended their achievements.

During the audience at Al Husseiniyeh Palace, the King praised the students from the various streams across the Kingdom for the perseverance and diligent work behind their success.

He told the students that he was proud of the academic progress and excellence made by many students in Jordanian schools, which will "qualify them to pursue their studies and achieve the future they aspire for".

The students talked about their future ambitions and thanked the King and Queen for "this royal gesture", which, they said, reflects their Majesties' keenness on supporting and sponsoring the outstanding sons and daughters of the country in all the Kingdom's schools.

The students said the audience will be a motivation for further hard work and achievement and will increase the opportunities for further excellence to build a better future.

During the reception, attended by the royal court chief and the deputy premier and minister of education, prizes and gifts were awarded to honour the top academic achievers at the level of the Kingdom.

In remarks to Petra, the Minister of Education Mohammad Thneibat said "this honouring" will be a motivation to the outstanding students and those in the classroom as well to seek excellence in their academic streams.

He stressed the importance of distinction at present, which, he said, has become "the gauge of progress and advancement in the world", and recommended that students put forward a study plan to achieve excellence, both at school and university, and have a "positive contribution in the national building process".