Sumangala & Swarnamali Union, Kandy, Sri Lanka

ient city of Senkadagala. Paul’s”‘ as a junior school of Trinty college Kandy.After laying the first brick on 8th February in 1879.The new school was started in the name of St. Paul’s English school.It was considered as a boys school, after starting on 16th of September 1879. By 1934, there were 175 students in this school, giving priority to disciplined behaviour promoting intelligence and virtuous life style. As a result of increasing number of students and the lack of space, a part of the school was shifted to the Purse building at Victoria road in the Lake Round. The school was controlled under the British Council, Rev. Mathew as the principal.In 1934, Mr. J.A.De Mel who was a staff member was appointed as the principal. He succeeded in inspiring the school by achieving the building facilities required by the school such as a laboratory, four class rooms and an officeroom on 30th March 1939. The departure of the honourable manager, Rev. Green who gave a great inspiration to school,was a great loss for the school. Lakdas De Mel,filled the gap by his hard work. The school lifted on to a pedestal and was improved in sphere by the devotion and the determination of the principal. The students succeeded in bringing diginity and fame to the school by participating and winning in extra curricular activities like, Scouting, Cricket, Hockey, Soccer and Cadetting. The school was promoted to the senior secondary level an 1941 and to B grade in 1943. Under the flourishing changes of free education, the number of students in the school increased gradually. As a result, many problems were created regarding space As a solution, a building with an auditorium was offered to the school to fulfil this necessity. By 1971, the primary section was consisted of both Tamil and English media.Due to the lack of classroom facilities, two school sessions were held in the morning and in the afternoon. Thus in 1932, the admissions of the grade one students was stopped. In 1975, the principal, Mr. Meegahakumbura solved the problems and started enrolling Sinhala students to grade one. By the 1975, the collapsed primary section rose up with a new enthusiasm. By 1979, the primary section became a popular school in Kandy. In 1978 a new Art stream was introduced to the school as a novel step. With the starting of A/L classes, many students were selected to enter the university and St. Paul’s college became one of the leading school in the country. The school achieved the heights of its success with Mr. R.M.D. Rathnayake, who was appointed as the principal on 1st of May 1987. It’s called the golden era.

__Swarnamali Girls College Kandy History__

“Maha Nagarika Pasala” was inaugurated in the village called “Katukele” in 1928 with 164 students and only 4 teachers. In 1928 whole classes were separated into primary and secondary by two people including Mr.Lithem who was the main inspector of that time and the upper classes were built in the boys’ section while the primary section was built in the girls’ classes. The first modern building was built up in 1929. Thought it was commenced in 1928,in 1936, there were theatre, handicrafts, folk dances, home science, weaving and also there was a development in sports. The netball was popularizes in 1941. There were 207 students in the year of 1942. On the 3rd of March in 1945, a parents’ day was celebrated in the school. In 1945, there were 6 teachers who gave the service to “Nagarika Pasala”. In 1958, for the first time in school ‘Shramadana’ campaign, concert and a arts and crafts exhibition were held under the program called “Shramabimani”. The first prize giving was held in 1959. “Nagarika Pasala” took part in the zonal level sports meet.

18th of June in 1960, the first teachers’ parents’ meeting was held in the school. In 1963, this school was called “Nagarika balikawa” and Mrs.A.M.K Makuloluwa was the principal. The first sports meet of Nagarika Balika Pasala” was held on the 30th of March in 1963 at the public ground. In 1963, there was 342 students and 13 teachers in the school. Mrs. A.M.S.Gnanasekaram was the principal of the school in 1970. In 1971 the staff was increased as 16. The 4th of December in 1974, Nagarika Balika” became “Swarnamali Girls’ College. At the beginning of Swarnamali Girls’ College, there were 580 students and 28 teachers in the school. 14th of December 1979, this school became a high school and was raised as a school which belongs to the category of “C” in which the art classes of Advanced Level were held.