Couple teaching at Sharjah school to retire after 30 years

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The teachers hold up a banner given as a parting gift by the students. - Supplied photo
The teachers hold up a banner given as a parting gift by the students. - Supplied photo

Sharjah - Shirley and Mathew are retiring on March 31 this year, and Mathew is leaving the school as head of the science department.

By Dhanusha Gokulan

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Published: Sat 3 Mar 2018, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Tue 28 Nov 2023, 11:48 AM

Telegrams were a common form of written communication in the late 80s, especially from the UAE to India, even though e-mails were invented in 1972.

In October 1988 senior school physics teacher Thomas Mathew received a telegram from Deira, Dubai, advising him to make travel arrangements to Sharjah as his visa was processed and he could join work. Mathew was working as a teacher in a school in India in 1988 and he'd received the telegram from Mariamma Varkey, educator and founder of Our Own English High School, Dubai and Sharjah.


The telegram that Mariamma Varkey sent to Thomas Mathew in 1988 informing him about his joining date at the school.

"I kept a copy of the telegram. I think she (Mariamma Varkey) was actively involved in administrative work with the schools back then. I was to join as a senior school physics teacher in the school's new campus in Ajman. This is even before GEMS Education was formed," Mathew told Khaleej Times. Six months after moving to Ajman, he was joined by his wife Shirley, who took up a job as a primary school teacher in 1990.


As of today, Mathew has completed 30 years of service at Our Own English High School, Sharjah (boys branch), and Shirley has finished 27 years at the girls' branch of the same school. A pivotal segment of GEMS Education, the schools have evolved from small portacabins in the desert to two separate school campuses for boys and girls in Sharjah's education zones, housing over 13,000 students.

Shirley and Mathew are retiring on March 31 this year, and Mathew is leaving the school as head of the science department. "When we first joined, the school was in Ajman. We later shifted to the Sharjah campus in 1994-95 and there were about 750 students back then," said Shirley. Mathew taught the boys' and Shirley taught the girl students Biology.

Family of teachers

Before moving to Sharjah, Mathew spent six years teaching in Nigeria and one year as a teacher in India. He has been working as a teacher for 27 years. The couple is from Malappally, Thiruvilla, in Kerala, India, and coincidently, they both hail from a family of teachers. "Both my parents, as well as Shirley's parents, are teachers," said Mathew. "My father was a Mathematics teacher and my mother taught the Malayalam language," he added. Furthermore, Mathew's brother and sister-in-law are also teachers.

Shirley's parents' taught Physics and History, and one of her brothers is also a teacher. "I suppose the influence of being around teachers also influenced us to take up the profession," they said.

The couple got married in 1983, and their children Subin and Sherin were also students of the same school. "They studied in Our Own Sharjah from KG 2 to Grade 12. I've taught Subin in Grades 10, 11 and 12, and he was also the school topper for the CBSE board exams," added Mathew. For Shirley and Mathew, teaching wasn't the only thing that they kept busy with. Mathew was the former president of Mallappally Association (UAE Chapter), the Sharjah Marthoma Church Trustee, treasurer of NRI Friends Forum and held several posts in social and charity organisations.

Teaching needs a human element

The teacher couple, Shirley and Thomas Mathew, don't predict a future where the jobs of teachers will be overtaken by artificial intelligence.

"The human element is very important in teaching," said Thomas Mathew.

"Though there have been vast technological developments, teaching at its core has remained the same and it continues to be a very noble profession," they added. Mathew and Shirley have very fond memories of their experiences in the school and say that they consider loyalty towards their profession as a very important skill to be successful.

"One of the most fulfilling experience as a teacher is when students come back to the school campus to visit. Now with the advent of Facebook, it is much easier to stay in touch with former students," he added.

The couple now plans to continue their social activities and want to try their hand at farming and agriculture back home. "We would be returning back to India. So, I will be spending my days of retirement by being an active member of the local community. Also, I would try my hand at farming and build up my agricultural expertise."

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com


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