Flashback of the Boys’ Model School
WP/Jaya/Boys’ Model school which is situated in the vicinity of Malabe town overlooking the Kaduwela – Battaramulla main road belongs to the Kaduwela division and the Sri Jayawardhanapura zone. It was inaugurated by the then minister of education Hon. Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe on the 28th of May 1987 with the invitation of the then member of Parliament Mr. Paul Perera. The school was named as Boys’ Model school. Mr. W.K.Dep was the founder and the first principal of this school. There were two assistant teachers in his staff, Mr. D.Premarathne and Miss. R.D.J.Premalatha.
At the initial stage, students were admitted to grade one classes only. By 1989 there were three grades in the school and as there was not enough room for all the students. Some classes were had to be commenced as afternoon sessions. By 1991, the school had become a complete primary school as there were classes from grade 01 to 05. To fulfil the needs of buildings for the increased demand , a three storeyed building was being built and on 01.05.1991 the perspicacious government declared open the Lalith Ethulathmudhi Hall which was a make – shift temporary building for the demand. It resulted the fulfilment of the needs of new admissions to the school. When the need for physical resources was satisfied, the school could keep up its reputation.
Rev.Porawagama Sumanasiri thero, the chief incumbant of Susilaramaya donated an assembly hall which was launched as Sumanasiri Hall to satisfy the need of such a building. So within the first lustrum of the school, it had become a complete primary school with classes from grade one to grade five and with two three – storeyed buildings and an assembly hall.
The then chief Minister of Western province Hon. Chandrika Bandaranaike participated in the English Day programme at the school. By the year 1996, the school had classes up to grade ten.
In 1997 , the first outstanding milestone of the school was celebrated by sixteen students sitting for the G.C.E. [O/L] examination for the first time in the history of school. By then the school had been upgraded as a Kanishta Vidyalaya. When the school celebrated its’ tenth anniversary, another three-storeyed building was declared open and an auditorium was added to the school. Until then, the founder principal chaired the school, but he had to leave the school as he was promoted as the Director of English in the Western province.
Mrs. K.K.L.Siriwardhana assumed duties as the new principal of Boys’ Model school in 1998. After a remarkable service rendered to uplift the standard of the school for 1 & 1/2 years she had to left the school on 1st September 1999.
Mr.Rathnapala became the new principal of the school. It was a red – letter –day to this school as it marked the beginning of a golden era of this school. With his courageous, selfless and endless efforts, the school was promoted as a maha vidyalaya on 04.05.2000 and classified as a 1 – C school which has advanced level classes in commerce and arts streams.
Our school was selected as the most cleanest school and awarded the “ SUVASARA THAHSHALAVA AWARD “ on 16.10.2003. It was bestowed by the ministry of environment.
Another 3 storeyed building with a computer lab was declared open on 02nd Aug. 2006. The computer lab was a prestigious gift to the students with all the modern facilities. On the very same day we were able to launch the school web site for the first time.
Another outstanding milestone of the school is winning the “ INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AWARD “ in 2007.
A science laboratory was declared open on 21.09.2007 . So that the school could start science stream. Students who had qualified to follow the subject in science stream had to leave this school and join another school until then. After many years of this practice now all the students who get through their O/L can stay in this school itself until they finish their complete school education in any subject stream they wish.
When the school commemorated its’ 20th anniversary, almost all the features of a reputed school had been achieved by this school.
Thus, the school that started as a primary school only with grade one classes in 1987 was able to reach its apex within two decades. It is only an inconsiderable period of time when it is compared with other reputed schools in the island.