Mrs. M. N. Edussuriya
Principal, Visakha Vidyalaya 1988-99
A Farewell Tribute to Mrs. M. N. Edussuriya
MRS. M. N. EDUSSURIYA
by Dr. Priya de Silva
January 05, 2000
Mrs. Mercy Nalini Edussuriya took over the reins at the helm of Visakha Vidyalaya in January of 1988 and relinquished them in October of 1999 leaving behind a legacy of continued excellence in academia, sports & extra curricular activities and a school stronger and secure in its position as the leading girls' school in our country.
She was the twelfth in a line of illustrious Principals who strove to uphold the unique blend that is synonymous with Visakha: that of excellence in achievement and a strong commitment to religion and culture.
The chair at Visakha is acknowledged as the ultimate prize by every school Principal, and when it became vacant with the retirement of Mrs. Eileen Siriwardhana, the stakes were high and speculation rife. Mrs. Edussuriya was obviously the most eligible with her excellent qualifications, a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma in Education from the University of Peradeniya, and a Master's in Education Planning and Management from the UK. However at that time we knew little of her and viewed her coming with mixed expectancy. We should have known that Visakha founded on a groundswell of such good merit would continue her run of good fortune!
I still remember my first meeting with Mrs. Edussuriya, for I was then the Hony. Secretary of the VVOGA. She looked too young and to my mind too charming to take on this onerous post. As her tenure progressed and the school continued its march of successes Mrs. Edussuriya won the hearts of everyone close to the school. It is indeed quite a task for any Principal to have the complete support of the staff, the School Development Society, the Old Girls, and the love & respect of the students. It is an even greater task to be able to steer a clear course in the dealings with her superiors, particularly when guiding the destinies of the likes of Visakha. Mrs. Edussuriya did just that, and came to be recognised and acclaimed as one of impeccable character, honesty and integrity.
Whilst Mrs. Susan George Pulimood's era is acclaimed as the golden age of Visakha when the school shot itself to super grade level, Mrs. Edussuriya's era could be described as one of strength and security, of consolidation and diversity, a true preparation for the new millennium. Visakhians once again excelled at the Advanced Level examinations. The numbers obtaining distinctions in all eight subjects at the O' Level examinations became embarrassingly long. Almost every sport seemed to have Visakhian representation at national level. The study of languages flourished, and exchange of students at international level took place. There seemed no sphere that Visakhians did not take pride of place, be it guiding, public speaking, debating or music. English drama made a comeback.
Her charm was natural, her judgement excellent and her sense of justice truly exemplary. I came to know her closely during my tenure as Secretary & Vice President of the OGA and I have observed her work under immense stress yet, never out of control. I have seen her ruffled but never angry. Perhaps, her guiding factors were a clear conscience and self esteem. Many a time I would come away from her office wondering at the worthiness of the job as against the obvious sacrifices to her personal life.
Mrs. Edussuriya embodied all that Visakha stood for - femininity alongside a strong personality, a true mix of a liberal mind with an abiding respect for traditional values. Thanks to her these qualities are very much alive amongst the Visakhians of today. It is hoped that Visakha has given to Mrs. Edussuriya as much as she has given to the school, for it is a fact that our school embellishes all who come to her. Undoubtedly, she has left behind a generation of Visakhians who would always remember her with much love and gratitude.
May the blessings of the Noble Triple Gem protect her and her family.
She served Visakha well - A tribute to Mrs. M. N. Edussuriya by R. Wickremasinghe
Excerpt from an article published in the Sunday Times, 16th March, 1997
"Parents too need counselling": The Principal of Visakha
by Roshan Peiris
Nalini Edussuriya has spread her unruffled calm over the school she heads. She has the honour of being the principal for the last ten years of Visakha Vidyalaya, a school with 4,000 pupils, considered to be the premier Buddhist girls school in the country.
Nalini Edussuriya gets up at five or five thirty in the morning. But she awakes before that and often listens to pirith or chants herself. She also often cooks for the family, her two children, a son and daughter, and her husband the Deputy Principal of Royal College.
By 8 a.m. she comes to school and signs the register.
"We are public servants and so we all have to sign. After that I make my way to the shrine at the big Bo tree at our school and daily place flowers there. I prefer to go alone. The classes are big, and so they have each been allotted days on which they too can place flowers and worship. Starting my day with religion helps me to cope with the day's problems with equanimity. It is also good to inculcate religion in the children and set them an example," she said.
"I never take office work home. I finish the day's work at school and if the load is heavy I come back in the evening to school and finish my work. That is my daily routine and my home life is devoted to my children and husband.
"At home I attend again to the cooking. I do not encourage the family to eat oily foods and we do not eat beef.
"The school as you see is big, and I have to devolve responsibility to teachers and Sectional Heads. If it is something special they come to me. I have also three Deputy Principals," the Visakha Principal said.
In her quiet office this unpretentious pleasant-faced woman with a huge responsibility has a constant stream of people daily to see her. ''Even now I have people coming everyday asking for admissions. Just see this is a bulky envelope with admission forms for the children whose fathers serve in the army. They most certainly deserve special attention but just before you came in I was trying to figure out how I could accommodate them all. It is all in a day's work," Ms. Edussuriya said.
"I do not hold school assemblies daily but just once a month. Of course almost daily we have special functions and things such as Science Day, English Day and Kala Ulela. They are all organised by the children with the guidance of teachers.
"Sometimes I have to deal with serious problems pertaining to children. But I am happy to say that with the guidance we give our children at Visakha, there aren't serious problems as such.
"There is the problem of boy friends which we come to hear about. In such matters the class teachers advise them or special counselling teachers make them understand that they are too young to choose partners and that their outlook and values will change as they reach maturity," she said.
''Cheating at tests and examinations is another serious problem I deal with when it is brought to my notice. The child is disqualified from sitting for that paper.
"What really concerns me is when students alter the marks in their report cards. I must say it saddens me to find that parents often tell their children not to come home with low marks. This is an awful thing and often I call parents to speak to me and hold seminars for them. It is parents who need counselling.
"It is all due to competitiveness and the stress on exams. Some parents want their children to preclude other healthy activities in the school such as sports and concentrate only on exams. With education reforms we hope to instill correct attitudes and values in parents and children," she said commenting on the attitudes to studies which parents and students should cultivate.
"My daily life is crowded but it is a happy one. I believe that my pupils must be happy at school so I do not indulge in punishments. I would never accept another education-oriented job. I love to be with my students," the dedicated Principal said. Ms. Edussuriya certainly projects the image of an unconquerable, cheerful person who lives for a cause, namely to mould the lives of young children on their way to womanhood.
As we walked round the school we passed young girls reading, doing work or concentrating on a lesson. Most of them when close to the Principal stood up in respect. Old values of respect are strong in this school. We walked into the well stocked and well arranged library where children were busy reading. We passed classrooms with colourful sketches and drawings on the walls, and emerged onto the vast playing field where some were practising their sports vigorously to lively music played by the school band. It was apparently the time scheduled for sports practice for seniors.
Ms. Edussuriya, a graduate in Sinhala, English and Economics holds a Diploma in Education and a Masters in Education Management from the UK. She is also on the National Youth Awards Committee under the Ministry of Sports and on the Western Province Educational Development Board.
It is a great responsibility to be the Head of a school immersed in tradition and religion such as Visakha is. Ms. Edussuriya's is an ageless story of a woman perennially in love with the work she does.
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