Prof F R Jayasuriya’s silent revolution
Continued from yesterday
Palitha SENANAYAKE
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The centenary birth anniversary of Prof. F R
Jayasuriya, who pioneered a silent revolution in Sri Lanka by
facilitating the liberalisation of education to the country’s dormant
majority, fell on February 25.
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Several countries that achieved remarkable economic progress in the
80s and 90s, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan, used
their own native languages as the official language.
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Prof F R Jayasuriya |
In fact the use of the native language helped these countries to tap
into their vast national resources, human and otherwise, for
development. We also observe that countries like Israel, Norway,
Denmark, and Iceland with a population lower than that of Sri Lanka but
with a very high levels of development, continue to use their native
languages as the official languages in their countries.
The language issue in ex colonies like India and Sri Lanka are still
mired in controversy, wedged between servitude to English and the need
to realise their human potential in full. Prof Jayasuriya was a
visionary who envisioned this ahead of his time and hence he fought for,
and pioneered, the transition into Swabasha.
English as a skill
Further, it is not just the use of English but the way it is being
used that leads progressive people in this country to question whether
English is doing more harm than good to the Sri Lankan society even
after 60 years of independence.
Prof Sunimal Fernando, Co-ordinator Presidential Task Force on
‘English as a life’s skill’, maintains that Sri Lanka’s colonial social
elite crafted and delivered English as a hallmark of their exclusive
elite status which was defined by them largely in terms of
westernisation, a gateway to the west and a rejection of one’s cultural
and indigenous roots.
No wonder then that the likes of Prof Jayasuriya often got branded as
‘controversial figures’ by the vestiges of English media.
It was a quirk of fate though, that brought this eminent educationist
to the field of education.
Hailing from an illustrious and resourceful family in Weligama, very
much elitist and English speaking, little Felix Reginald Jayasuriya
showed early promise in his academic work.
After having obtained a first division pass in his London
matriculation, he took up CAS and became first in Ceylon in the
competitive examination.
Colonial administration
The colonial administration which had a policy of its own however,
did not select young Jayasuriya to be a member of the Ceylon
Administrative Service.
He then graduated from the London University with a second upper in
English Honours and became a lecturer in the University of Ceylon on
‘Old and Modern English language’. He departed from University education
for a brief period to serve the cause of Buddhist education as the
Principal of Dharmasoka Vidyalaya, Ambalangoda, but was soon summoned to
take over the Economics Department in the University of Ceylon. The
galaxy of eminent personalities Prof Jayasuriya was able to mould during
his 40 year illustrious career as a university don is too numerous to be
mentioned.
Dr C Suriyakumaran, visiting Professor of the London School of
Economics in 1984 made the following comments in the Daily News of
August 3, 1984 on the passing away of Prof Jayasuriya: “He was bright,
gentle and enthusiastic and firmly committed to ideals, strongly anti
imperialist / anti fascist and immediately became the focus around whom
students gathered readily. It was all part of an extreme goodness, and
deep down, a crying concern for whatever is down.”
Elite gathering
A man who belongs to the cream of Sri Lankan society and a jewel to
any elite gathering, Prof Jayasuriya did not have to be motivated by
malice or insidious agendas to choose the path of the downtrodden. His
vision for Sri Lanka was based on balanced thinking and benevolent
patriotism and that makes him all the more worthy to be recognised.
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