Taxila Central College, Horana

History

In 1905 the Horana Buddhist English school was established under the programme of opening of Buddhist schools, launched by the Ceylon Buddhist Theosophists and Col. Henry Steel Olcott. The school was established in a small plot of land provided by Sathis Wimalasekara.

The school was relocated to a plot of land donated by Arthur V. Dies, a philanthropist, during the 1930s. The Horana Buddhist English School was renamed as the Taxila Buddhist English School, following a proposal by W. K. S. Fonseka, a teacher at the school, and endorsed by then principal, W. F. Sirisena.

As a result of the educational reforms proposed by the C. W. W. Kannangara committee in 1943, 54 central colleges were established throughout the country. That was a revolutionary step in the sense of social mobility occurred thereafter. Moreover, there was a growing demand for taking over of the Taxila Buddhist English school by the government and making it a central college.

As an outcome of those events, under the patronage of the Minister of Education, C. W. W. Kannangara, on 6 June 1946, the Taxila Buddhist English school was converted into Taxila Central College.

From the first principal Thomas Newton Silva, a number of subsequent principals namely, H. Y. De Silva, Edmond Dias, A. R. Erathne and Jayaweera Bandara have given leadership to the Taxila Central College when the premises of the school shifted to the present venue in 1954. Minister John Kotalawala was instrumental in completing the task in time. during the first phase of central college, the first student entered to the arts faculty of the university of Colombo in 1951. After the shift of venue Taxila Central College became an above grade 6 school, leaving the primary section at the old venue as a different school. The shift occurred in the times of Edmond Dias as the principal.

The principal E. D. K. Abeysekara who was appointed in 1958 had recorded the longest period of being a principal, except H. K. A. Abhayapala, in this college. He did a yeoman service to develop the school. A hostel was established gathering 200 students, and physical resources were developed during this period. Electricity and water facilities were included among the major facilities.

Science scholars were admitted during this era. In 1958 the school got laboratory facilities and the science classes for ordinary level examination have been initiated in 1960. In 1961 Taxila initiated the Advanced Level Science Section.

Principals

History

In early 1979 a group of science teachers from Kalutara District along with the science education officer were invited to attend a field camp held at "Thondamanaru" Field Study Center in Jaffna. It was a residential camp and was an important event for teachers from south to meet their colleagues from North. On the final day at Thondamanaru Field Study Camp a decision was taken to start a similar Field Study Center in Kalutara District too. The science education officer had several discussions with the relevant people and finally decided to start a field study center. The relevant people had finally decided to start a field study center at Taxila Central College, Horana. The principal of the School wholeheartedly agreed to provide the closed down hostel building to house the field study center. The first Field Study Camp was held on 3 August 1979 as an environmental project of the Kalutara District five year educational plan (1979-1983). Education Department and the Ministry of Education supported very much to build up the center

Activities

By 1981 the field study centre was a fully fledged environmental studies laboratory. The Ministry of Education promoted the novel idea of outdoor activities related to environment and allocated funds to carry out the study camps. Several three day residential camps were held during every school term. The environmental studies done in these camps were based on the rich biological diversity of Kaluganga-Basin.

Stage plays

The deputy principal, Ranjith Wijenayake has produced and directed a number of stage plays on behalf of the school. Four of them (Asarana Kathandarayak, Nena Saha Pena and Diriya Mawa) represented the school at national level competitions. 'Diriya Mawa'(a translation of bertolt Bretcht's Mother Courage and Her Children) won the second place at the State School Drama Festival- 2012. That drama won 14 awards as well.

Swimming pool

In 2004 according to the proposal by Captain of the Police Life Guard W. S. Bandula, the swimming section of our school was started as a sport event. It was started by Ramyalatha Mayadunna with the sanction of the school principal H. K. A. Abhayapala.

Due to lack of a swimming pool, a request was sent to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka, from the school. As a result of that we had a chance to build a swimming pool in school. That was donated by Rev. Kyuse EnShinjo - Founder of the Nethbutshu Buddhism Sect in Japan, with kindly collaboration of the secretary of Prime Minister.

The Swimming pool complex was opened on 29 June 2009.

Academic information

There are Grade 6 to Grade 13 Classes in the School with three sections in Advanced Level Step Called Science Section (Combined Mathematics and Biology), Art Section and Commerce Section. More than 3,500 students study in these sections.

'Prathibha'- a variety show in which all the grade 6 children participate commenced in 2003. It is held annually on the last day of December. Almost three thousand children have participated so far.

'Nirupana' - an educational procession made up of hundreds of representations of social and cultural phenomena. Though the form is like a traditional procession, the content is entirely educational and creative. This is the peculiar annual event of grade 7 students and it started in 2008.

'Nirmani' - an open stage variety show of grade 8 children. It commenced in 2008. this is unique in the sense that the items displayed are the creations of the children themselves. it is held before thousands of children on the last day of the second term.

Laboratory complex

Field Study Centre

Sobagira-"The Home of Bio-Diversifying"

Societies

Co curricular events

Sports

Houses

Students of Taxila Central College are divided into four houses, named after kings in Sri Lankan history.

Colour -      Red

Colour -      Green

Colour -      Yellow

Colour -      Blue

Notable alumni