History Of Government Science College
This school was inaugurated on the 15th February 1954 with Mrs. Wimala Silva, Mr. S. Manual Pillai as staff members and Mr. S. Rathnasabapathy as the principal.
This simple sentence is the log entry made by Mr. Rathnasabapathy as the principal pertaining to the opening ceremony which does not show protocol of guest and pageantry. The first half of decade of science college, truly reflects greate personality of Mr. Rathnasabapathy and his dedication. He invested to promote educational and environmental conditions of the college.
Although there were many big schools in Matale district when Science College was started, facilities to study science for higher education were not available in these schools. Mr. V.T. Nanayakkara, then the member of parliament for Matale seat, had seen this vacancy, made effect to fulfill it and he did. Fortunately this school was not limited to students of Matale district, but to other surrounding districts such as Kandy, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Pollonnaruwa, Kegalle, Badulla and the most remote Jaffna district. The students who studied here were not only Sinhalese but all other communities who live in Sri Lanka such as Tamil, Muslim and Burger.
In 1954 though there were only 40 students and two staff members at the beginning. It was said that the year was ended with 90 students and 4 members of staff, ironically making all staff members were Tamil.
In the decade of seventies, the student population had been increased in to 250 and today it is over than 500. At the first decade of the college history the principal and the staff made their untiring effort to take all the clever students to one vessel and push them to university. The result of this effort were to be seen when one goes through the past results of examinations. where number of medical and engineer students had been selected to university, revealing the dedication of the principal Mr. Rathnasabapathy and the staff.
It is revealed that there is not deference between home and office for Mr. Rathnasabapathy, when he works he cares not day and night even in vacation he doesn't go to jaffna, but he works. He works somewhere in the college.
In 1960s due to the government policy in the education system of teaching science in sinhala and tamil Mr. Rathnasabapathy had to go on transfer to jaffna. This was turning point. The principal who succeeded in was Mr. H.R.P Rupasinghe. Who very much interested in sports introduced cricket to the school. This proved that students who mene put on academic trace excelled in sports too. They brought fame to school in cricket, hockey and netball.
After Mr. Rupasinghe Mr. A.P.N Helapitage Mr. H.P Premawardana and Mr. A. Bopitiya served as principals and carried on their services for the benefit of the college. In the 1980s a past pupil of the college Mr. A Ekenayake took reign as the principal and he was succeeded by Mr. E.M.R.B Ekanayake and Mr. Godawitharane. During this period the department of education took a decision to do away with O/L classes to be tetoined only the advanced level classes making room for a large number of students to keep up with higher education.
From 1991 another very eminent past pupil Mr. G.K.W.K Ettipola was posted as the principal and he was successful in regoining the lost forms to the school. During his tenure the O/L classes he is supported by a good number of past pupils as members of the staff, and it is a blessing that the rest of staff members extended their fullest corporation.
The college now has a very strong and supportive past pupils association. Which has it's branches in Colombo, Anuradapura, and in Australia. They help the college in all her endeavors and watch the interests keenly both in the academic field and the sport field.
Principles of Science College
- S. Rathnasabhapathy (1954-1960)
- H. P. R. Rupasinghe (1960-1964)
- E. P. W. Helapitage (1964-1967)
- H. P. E. Premawardane (1967-1969)
- A. Bopitiya (1969-1970)
- L. M. Perera (1970-1972)
- C. A. S. B. Silva (1972-1973)
- L. M. Perera (1973-1976)
- K. B. Weragama (1976-1980)
- A. Ekanayake (1980-1981)
- R. B. Ekanayake (1981-1985)
- A. H. Godawitharana
- A. Ekanayake (1986-1990)
- G. K. W. K. Atipola (1990 to present)
