He contributed much to the education sector

Marhoom Matale Al-Haj A. C. M. Zairdeen, an educationist of extraordinary talents and successful administrator who contributed much to the education sector passed away on Friday, June 4.

Zairdeen was the son of Abdul Kader, a businessman formerly a CID Officer in the Police Department in Matale. Zairdeen received his early education at Zahira College, Matale and completed a science degree at Madras Christian College. His first appointment was as a science teacher at Akkaraipattu Central College in 1960.

He worked with then Principal I. Ibralebbai to start the science division at the Akkaraipattu Central College. The Akkaraipattu region has since then produced many doctors and engineers.

At the time when Marhoom Zairdeen was serving at Akkaraipattu Central College there was no fence to demarcate the boundary of the school. He took the initiative to instal a fence bringing wooden fence posts cut from the nearby forest. Some students were arrested by the police when carrying the logs and Zairdeen solved the issue after meeting his elder brother, then Ampara DIG A. B. A. Gafoor, travelling from Akkaraipattu to Ampara on a push cycle via the forest path.

He was transferred to Matale Zahira College and after serving as a Principal there for a short period, went to Mawanella Zahira College and served many years as Principal. I was then in the G. C. E. A’L class.

He started the science stream at the Mawanella Zahira College and produced many science graduates, doctors and engineers from the school, further developing the structure formulated by M. S. A. Wahid who served as Principal before him.

Marhoom Zairdeen became Principal of Gampola Zahira College on the invitation of then Education Minister Badi-ud-din Mahmud.

When M. H. Mohammed was Minister of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs, Zairdeen was appointed Director of the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs, the only appointment outside the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. After serving three years in this post, he was appointed Government Agent (GA) of Trincomalee.

He was Acting Principal of Colombo Zahira College for a short period when he was serving as the Director of the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs.

He married Rehaan and they had three children. Sons Rushdie and Umar, both in IT are in the USA and their only daughter is a pediatrician.

He was involved in politics in the Matale District from the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in 1994 but unfortunately was not elected.

May Allah offer him his esteemed Jannathul Firdouse.

Al-Haj N. M. Ameen