Prof. J. E. Jayasuriya - pioneering educationist with a vision

R. S. Medagama

The 92nd birth anniversary of the late Prof. J. E. Jayasuriya, the outstanding teacher educationist of modern Sri Lanka was yesterday. The J. E. Jayasuriya Memorial Foundation has organized the usual commemoration lecture at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute to be delivered by one of his distinguished students, a former Secretary of the Ministry of Education and at present the Chairman of the Finance Commission Ariyaratne Hewage today Monday, 15.

Life story

Born on February 14, 1918 as son of a post-master who was on transferable service, young Jayasuriya had to accompany his parents to the stations where his father had to serve. He started his primary education at Nawalapitiya Anuruddha Vidyalaya, then joined Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda and finally Wesley College, Colombo. In 1933 he sat the Cambridge Senior Examination and displayed his brilliance by securing the third place in order of merit among all candidates of the British Empire. In recognition of his brilliant performance he was given a scholarship to the University College, Colombo.

As an undergraduate with his logical mind he selected Mathematics as his field of study. In 1939 he graduated with a First Class in Mathematics at the age of 21 years.

The ambition of most young graduates those days was to enter the Ceylon Civil Service. As usual, young Jayasuriya also sat for the Civil Service Examination. While awaiting results, he agreed to accept the post of principal of the newly founded Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya, on the invitation of P. de S. Kularatne, the great educationist. About one month after assuming the post of principal of Dharmapala Vidyalaya, he was called for the viva voce examination for the selection to the Civil Service. The Chairman of the interview board was L. Mc. D. Robinson, the then Director of Education who was not well disposed towards the establishment of Buddhist schools. To the question where he is working, Jayasuriya boldly stated that he is the acting principal of Dharmapala Vidyalaya. This school had not been registered by the Director of Education. That put an end to young Jayasuriya's ambition of becoming a Civil Servant. He did not repent over that, for later he wrote that had he joined the Civil Service he would have missed his mission in life.

He continued to serve the course of education in the country by serving in several schools. After Dharmapala, he accepted the post of Deputy Principal of Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya, Hikkaduwa and then he was invited by the Minister of Education Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara to take charge of the newly established central school in his electorate, the Matugama Central College. Next he joined the Wadduwa Central College. In 1947 he proceeded to London to follow his post graduate studies. At the Institute of Education of the University of London, he did the Post Graduate Diploma in Education as well as the M.A. in Education.

On his return in 1949, he accepted the post of Lecturer in Mathematics at the Government Teacher Training College, Maharagama. In 1952, he joined the Faculty of Education of the University of Ceylon as a lecturer and in 1957 he was appointed as Professor of Education. He retired from the university in 1971 to accept an assignment in UNESCO, Bangkok as Regional Advisor in Population Education. At the end of that assignment he returned to the country and engaged in research and publications while serving in advisory capacity in several projects until his demise in January 1989.

Prof. Jayasuriya was a person of many parts. He was an exemplary teacher, educational administrator, author, researcher and policy maker, international consultant and a devoted family man. I wish to briefly recount these different facets of his life within the limitations of a newspaper article.

Exemplary teacher

Prof. Jayasuriya is a born teacher with all the characteristics of an exemplary model of a pedagogue. He was very soft spoken, but distinct and clear, well versed in the subject matter and effective in delivering concepts. He never dictated lecture notes but at the end of his students found that they understood well all the concepts that he wanted to convey. At times he looked like a typical school master when he surveyed the whole class to draw the attention of everyone. His lessons were interspersed with questions, anecdotes, jokes and remarks which made them very interesting. And this is when he was teaching one of the most difficult subjects, Educational Psychology and Measurement.

I remember how he organized a seminar with a group of principals from Kandy on a Saturday when he wanted to deal with the subject of "Education for National Integration". The following week in the class he had a discussion summarizing all the points that emerged at the seminar with his critical comments.

He firmly believed that the school should he closely linked with the community. Instead of theorizing on the subject, he related his experiences as a principal in the early part of his career. He recapped how he visited homes of benefactors with P. De. S. Kularathne and spent quite a long time talking on extraneous matters and came to the purpose of the visit, soliciting donations to the school, after quite some time. That strategy succeeded.

A good teacher is always a good learner. During our Diploma in Education course we had an American. Prof. Mervin D. Glock from Cornell University teaching Educational Psychology and Measurement. Prof. Glock was a teacher well versed in his subject and Prof. Jayasuriya used to attend all these lectures and sit in the classroom without fail. The other Faculty members too, followed him. Some students found it difficult to follow the American accent of Prof. Glock at the beginning, and Prof. Jayasuriya offered to assist them after the class.

Educational Administrator

Prof. Jayasuriya started his career as an educational administrator being the first principal of Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya. One would wonder how a raw graduate at the age of 21 years without any experience could manage a school with experienced senior teachers. The fact that he laid the foundation for the establishment of a very successful public school, as acknowledged by persons who were his students at that time is testimony to his organizational abilities. It is in recognition of his abilities that Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara invited him to be in charge of the central school established in the minister's electorate.

As Professor in charge of the Faculty of Education at the Peradeniya University for 15 years, he developed to be a one of the best faculties of Education. He encouraged many promising students to continue with their postgraduate studies and guided them. He recruited the best of them to the Faculty so that their services would be available to generations of future students.

Since its inception the Faculty of Education provided the Diploma in Education course for teachers released by the Department of Education. There were of course a few postgraduate students. Professor Jayasuriya felt the need for organizing a Bachelor of Education course at undergraduate level. After long deliberation and detailed planning he launched the B. Ed. course which was an instant success. Some of the best undergraduates offered to take up this course and the products have performed brilliantly in their careers. It is unfortunate that this was given up later.

He taught us Educational Administration, but did not delve much into theories of administration. Presenting practical examples he inculcated the skills necessary for an administrator. He taught participatory management by discussing how the parent-teacher association of a school should be organized with a network of committees. An incident that took place during our time illustrates what a tactful manager he was. At the end of every term there was a social organized by the students' committee.

The chairman of the committee was an inspector of schools who was authoritarian in his ways. The vice chair-person was a senor lady teacher from a leading girls' school. While arranging the hall the chairman has asked the lady to carry some flower pots to the hall. The lady got offended and complained to Prof. Jayasuriya. The professor listened to her and after a pause smilingly said "Mrs....... can I do it for you". The lady herself could not help laughing!

Author

While being a university teacher he found the time to write books necessary for the use of his students. Statistics was a difficult subject for most students he wrote a book "Statistical Calculations to Teachers" which became a handbook for every student of educational measurement.

When the medium of instruction in schools was changed to national languages, lack of textbooks in Sinhala was a serious problem.