Appreciating four decades of service

Upananda Jayasundera - Kandy sports special correspondent

Deputy Principal of Mahamaya Girls’ College, Kandy D M A L Dissanayake, better known as Asoka Dissanayake, retired after 40 years of government service in the Department of Education recently.

She started her teaching career in the year 1972 as an Advanced Level Science Teacher at Lakdasa MV, Kurunegala and entered Pattalagedara Teachers Training School and passed out in 1976 as a Mathematics trained teacher. She joined Danture MV as the teacher in charge of Mathematics and passed out as a Science graduate from the University of Peradeniya in the year 1984 as an external student.

Subsequently she followed the Diploma in Education Course and also had the opportunity to follow a Course of Management Trainee (PGDEM). She joined Mahamaya College in the year 1985 when N K Pilapitiya was the principal. She was there till her retirement and taught Mathematics for GCE (OL) students and got 100 percent results almost every year.

In the year 1994 she was appointed as a Deputy Principal during the former principal, Muriel Subasinghe’s period and she was in charge of administration and finance stream. The daughter of a former Village Headman and a former graduate teacher, she was an old girl of Maliyadeva Girl’s College, Kurunegala. She had the common touch and she was very popular among students and staff for her hard work and fore being honest and sincere towards them.

Asoka Dissanayake was the President of the Cooperative Society of the school for a number of years and also the former Secretary of the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya. She had the opportunity to go to India, Malaysia and England on short-term scholarships.

She is a Justice of Peace of all island and served as a member of the Jury. Her husband Sirimewan is a reputed businessman in Kandy and gave her his fullest support to do her duties. Her son, Asanka is an Accountant in United Kingdom and her daughter, Shamila is holding a doctorate in Chemistry and lecturing at the Francisco University, California, USA.