Oldest to get degree ?
M.P. Muttiah
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Domingo Hewage Sirisena.
Picture by Rukmal Gamage
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Seventy-year-old Domingo Hewage Sirisena was conferred BA Degree by
Open University Chancellor Sam Wijesinghe at the convocation held at the
BMICH yesterday.
He is considered to be the world's oldest man to obtain a University
Degree.
Domingo Hewage Sirisena sat for the Advanced Level Examination in his
late sixties. Born on July 14, 1931, Hewagage Sirisena had his
preliminary education at Christ Church at Tangalle.
After schooling he joined the Government Service in 1953. He retired
as the Accounts Branch Chief at Prisons Department. His thirst for
education encouraged him to sit for A/L and enroled at the Open
University for a degree course. He accpeted the degree from the
Chancellor with a smiling face which reflected the coming to fruition of
a long cherished dream. He was one of the 2,690 graduates who obtained
the degree.
At the University he was either uncle or Seeya (grandfather) to his
colleagues but never a brother.
He was waiting for the convocation to register at Hull University in
Lancaster for his Master's Degree. His ambition is to obtain a Doctorate
as well as to enter the Guinness World Record as the oldest man in the
world to obtain a degree.
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