Wycherley bids farewell to its principal Kingsley Jayasinghe following 36 years of service
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- Mr. Kingsley Jayasinghe
Principal of Wycherley International School, Colombo, and renowned chemistry tutor, Mr. Kingsley Jayasinghe, retired from service on the 30th of June.
Known as a legend, an icon in the field of education, he began his illustrious career in 1958 at St. Peter’s College, Colombo and served the school until 1979 as a chemistry teacher and Sectional Head of the Advanced Level Section. From 1980 to 1984 he was attached to Borno College of Basic Studies in Maidugiri, Nigeria while working as a visiting lecturer in the University of Maidugiri.
When Wycherley International School was founded in 1995 with Dr. Frank Jayasinghe as its Principal, Mr. Kingsley Jayasinghe joined its tutorial staff as a tutor in Chemistry and the Head of High School.
He accepted the mantle of Principal of Wycherley in 1992 and was instrumental in the progress of the school as one of the leading international schools in the country. The most important features of a good school is its Academic Excellence and Discipline is what he believed and was greatly successful in achieving both.
‘Teaching children how to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is more important’ is one of the quotes that he is inspired and driven by, along with ‘Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today!’ being the other.
A visionary leader, dedicated to upholding good values and strong ethics, Mr. Jayasinghe inspired and motivated the staff and students alike to work with commitment and integrity and spearheaded the school down the path of success in the 36 years he served as a tutor and 29 years as its principal.
In addition to being respected and admired, he is loved by many for his compassionate and generous nature. Having always approached life with humility, he never failed to appreciate the contribution of the supporting staff and other ancillary employees at school.
There was an outpour of appreciation and rich tributes from members of the staff who have worked under him; grateful parents and doctors, engineers, lawyers, businessmen and several other individuals from various professions who have been his students, when the news of his retirement was announced by Jayasinghe himself in a heartfelt message to the staff, parents and all his pupils, past and present. In his poignant note, he extended his wholehearted gratitude to all the staff members who have always stood by him; the parents of Wycherley for the unwavering confidence they had placed in him and to the Management of the school for the unstinted support provided to him.
Among the countless number of students who have been fortunate to have studied under Mr. Jayasinghe are some eminent personalities in the country including our Honourable President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Hon. Minister of Finance, Basil Rajapaksa, State Minister Ajith Nivaard Cabraal, Deshabandu Dr. Lakshman Weerasena, Vidya Jothi Professor Willie Mendis, Former Airforce Commander and present Governor of the Western province Air Chief Marshall Roshan Goonetilleke and prominent Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Ananda Perera, to name a few.
“I’m a happy man,’ he remarked with a beaming smile, “to have been doing what I love for so many years and to have been able to help numerous students. I have no regrets.”
Although officially retired, he wishes to continue imparting his boundless knowledge of chemistry to students as he is still passionate about teaching his `pet’ subject.
We wish him all the best and a contented retirement!
Excerpts from a few
appreciative messages …
n ‘A great teacher is not necessarily a great mentor. A great mentor is not necessarily a great leader. A great leader is not necessarily a great teacher. But you have been a great teacher, mentor, leader and boss – all rolled into one. You taught us to be the best at work, guided us along the way. It has been a great honour and pleasure to have you as my boss for 22 years. Thank you for everything you have taught me sir…’
n ‘‘Wycherley will never be the same without Sir Kingsley Jayasinghe. Sir Kingsley is Wycherley and his legacy will be engraved in many students’ hearts. It has been an absolute privilege and honour to be disciplined and to be taught by him…’
n ‘‘…Sir always knew how to bring out the best in all the students…Kingsley Sir soon became synonymous with Wycherley and good teaching. Without you sir, Wycherley would not be the great educational institute it is today. It is through your brilliance, excellence and kind nature that Wycherley has maintained its position as one of the best educational institutes in Sri Lanka. We will miss you Sir. You are one of a kind, be it a teacher, mentor or friend.’
n ‘‘Mr. Jayasinghe…Sir, I have no words to express my gratitude towards you. You were the most and you will always be the most humble person I have met in my life. You smile, your kind words, motivation, appreciation and confidence you had in all your teachers and students is something I’ll never forget Sir. You were always there to listen to us at any time…what a great Principal! God bless you Sir!’
n ‘‘God bless that man for his eternal patience with me (I sure tested it!). He propelled a generation of stars into the stratosphere.’
n ‘‘Enjoy your retirement! If not for your amazing teaching, I would never have gotten an A in chemistry. Thank you for pushing me to be the best when I studied at Wycherley which helped me to get the grades to do medicine. You have indeed helped many of us to be the best we can!’
n ‘‘I have very few milestones in my life that I hold near to my heart with great pride; one of them is to have been one of the many students moulded by Mr. Kingsley Jayasinghe. Next to my own parents, I owe an immense deal of what I am today to him and the values he instilled in me. I will always be grateful for his guidance and encouragement.’
n ‘‘Today, WIS is missing a fantastic leader and teacher. Your leadership has been inspirational and your time here has been a true gift. Thank you for being such a wonderful leader. I wish you that absolute best.’
n ‘‘…You were present at sporting events, cultural events, and been there throughout wearing a smile. You sat in the front row of every assembly, every play we have produced and supported us. Thank you for your compassionate, hands-on leadership. We wish you the best as you retire. You will stay in our hearts as we continue to honour your legacy.’
n ‘‘Your untiring efforts to keep the flag of Wycherley flying high is much appreciated. Your visionary leadership and ability to adapt are applauded by many. Your retirement will leave a void that no one may be able to fill. Your achievements speak for themselves. Thank you Sir, for everything you’ve done…’
n ‘‘The legacy you leave behind will always be engraved
Never, ever forget Sir, the difference you’ve made!’
- Trissette Gray Tillekeratne
(Ex-Vice Principal, Wycherley International School)