Anuradhapura Central College
Location
Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Coordinates 8°21′N 80°23′E
Information
Type: Started as a non profit organization, Currently State run
Motto: Harken Memorize Act (“අසමු දරමු හැසිරෙමු”)
Established: 1947
Principal: Mr. H.M. Abeykoon 2011-Present
Grades: 6–13
Number of students: 3500
Color(s): Green and Yellow
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Mr. R.L.N. Zoysa, clever young teacher who obtained his first degree from London University in 1940, came to Dry zone of the country to take over the Principal post of A/ Rathmale Tissa central college in Anuradhapura.
Mr. R.L.N. Zoysa requested the any post of government service from minister late: Mr. C.W.W. Kannangara the father of free education who launched the Central colleges establishing project island wide.
According to that request hon Mr. R.L.N. Zoysa came to A/ Rathmale Tissa Central College as the Principal of that same school with more difficulties. In 1948, 12 Scholarship granted students were enrolled to the school and they were taught English, Sinhala, and Mathematics by himself. They were pretty intelligent students. Somehow end of year 1948 Mr. R.L.N. Zoysa left from teaching. Later he become a senior advocate. As the founder member and the first principal of our past school, we should grateful to him forever.
After one year from the starting of the school students had to face more short comings due to low facilities of the school. As the results of the situation, educational authorities had to shift A/ Rathmale Tissa Central College to Saliyapura Puliyankulama area. At that time the name of A/ Rathmale Tissa Central College was changed as A/Anuradhapura Central College. The school was begun at the premises of old army camp at Puliyankulama in 1948.
The first paying boarder (residential student) Mr. K. Jayawardhana has stated his previous experience of the school like this.
” On Friday 4th of February 1948 we rushed to Anuradhapura secretariat office to hand over a petition regarding of our grievances and demands to very honest gentleman P.M.M. Thunmodara. We twenty came from Rathmale to Puliyankulama by car numbered Z-80. There were about one hundred fifty students and were seven teachers finally.
We were provided scouting truing by Mr. P.M.M. Thunmodara there later he was named as “Rate Mahaththaya”.
At that time school security officer was Jayasekara. He hits to the iron bar which was hung at the corner of the school hall as there was no proper school bell. There was a generator to provide electricity for us in the night. Mr. Steevan was the person who operated that machine in the night. I was lucky enough to have good education from this school. But unfortunately I had to leave the school in 1954.”
