D. S. Senanayake College

D.S. Senanayake College

තමාට පෙර රට
Country Before Self
Location
No.62, Gregory's Road
Colombo 07
Sri Lanka
Coordinates 6°54′30″N 9°52′30″E / 6.90833°N 9.87500°ECoordinates: 6°54′30″N 9°52′30″E / 6.90833°N 9.87500°E
Information
Type National
Established February 10, 1967
Founder Mr.R. I. T. Alles
Principal Mr. D.M.D.Dissanayake
Staff 275
Grades 1 - 13
Gender Boys
Enrollment 8000
Colour(s)

Black and Gold

        
Song Sip Satha Sis Wetha
Publication Siyapatha
Head Prefect Pubudu Karunarathne
Website http://dsscoba.com

D.S. Senanyake College is a public national school in Sri Lanka, named after the first Prime Minister of Independent Sri Lanka, Rt.Hon. D.S. Senanayake. It was established on February 10, 1967 under the stewardship of R.I.T. Alles.[1][2] As a national school it is controlled by the central government, as opposed to a provincial council.

Overview

R. I. T. Alles was the founding principal

D.S. Senanayake College, situated in Colombo 07 (Cinnamon Gardens) is one of the premiere educational institutes in Sri Lanka. With the short span of history it has been able to gain many achievements of excellence both in the academic and non academic fields, locally and internationally to be proud as a truly multi-ethnic, multi-religious College which has proudly created unblemished and prestigious record of excellence in academia, sport and community leadership culminating being an institute of highly innovative and patriotic individuals to Sri Lanka. School has current enrollment of over 6000 students with an academic staff over 275. It is among the most desired after schools in Colombo. The school is listed among the National Schools, which come under the administration of the Ministry of Education, thus has direct funding from the ministry.

D.S Senanayake College provides education to students from Grade 1 to 13 in Sinhala, Tamil & English Mediums. It also provides Mathematics, Science, Commerce & Arts fields for the Advance Level Examinations. The School is fully equipped with Modern Classrooms, Multiple Science Laboratories and Computer Laboratories, Ground & Sports Complex for sports activities. It also has more than 35 Clubs, Societies & Associations engaged in all types of co-curricular activities. There are wide range of sporting activities, be it the track, field or water.

D.S Senanayake College has made a rapid growth in a short period of 45 years. It was the sole commitment of the administration of the school, teachers, parents and students & the past pupils working together to achieve a common goal. Their path was always not cleared. It was a harsh climb to the top, with a lot of sweat, blood & tears in the path that we walked by. Because the founding Principal Mr. R. I. T. Alles says ” D.S was not built of the pocket of the rich man, but of the hand of the humble poor man.”

History

In 1965 the number of requests to admit children into the Royal College Primary had become excessive. Thus the Minister of Education I. M. R. A. Iriyagolla took the initiative to build a new school in Cinnamon Gardens on the lines of Royal College Colombo.[3] In 1967, the then Minister of Education I. M. R. A. Iriyagolla began the ground work for establishing the school. It was named after D.S. Senanayake, who was the first prime minister of Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) after gaining independence. R.I.T. Alles, a teacher of woodcraft at Royal College became the Head Master of the new school. The location in which the college stands today was at that time called the Kumbikale jungle.[4]

Houses

Students are placed in one of four houses according to their admission number.They compete each year to win the Inter-house Competitions.

School anthem

School Flag
Old crown crest

Sinhala version of School anthem was composed by Navathna Attanayake and the lyrics are by Premakeerthi de Alwis. Tamil version of the school anthem was written by Sillayoor Selvarajah.

SINHALA VERSION
Sip satha sis wetha dina dina gena dun
His his vidu nane dee kala piripun
Wandinemu bathiyena his ath thabamin
Senanayake Viduhal maeni

Dasa diga dasa atha supathala viruvan
Oba akayehi thuruluva sity daruvan
E maga piya maena gos pere daruvan
Thamata pera rata Reakumehi suruvan

Mavpiya lesa salaka oba wandinem
siv desa oba kithu raesa roo andinem
Widhu neana laba diya diya dada bandinem
Oba raka ganumata oba vata sitinem


ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Giving the knowledge to students day by day.
Filling the empty brains to perfectness with wisdom.
(Thus)We worshipeth thee mother Senanayake,
with hands clasped upon our head.

he reputed people all over the country.
Were once thy children.
Stepping on their grand footpath
We art capable to be 'Country Before Self'.

We shalt worshipeth thee thinking thou art our father and mother,.
We shalt make thee famous all over the world,.
Getting the wisdom we shalt conquer the world.
(And)We shalt protect thee(from what so ever).

Coat of arms

The Coat of Arms is a shield which is partitioned into two parts. The upper section has the lion of the Sri Lankan flag and the lower section has an oil lamp. A wreath of paddy is partially encircling the shield and the motto Country Before Self is in a scroll. Some decades back, the crown of the Kandyan monarch which is depicted in the crest of Royal College Colombo, was depicted in the school's crest as well.

Sports

  • Athletics
  • Badminton
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Body Building
  • Cadet Band - Eastern,Western bands and platoon
  • Chess
  • Cricket
  • Football
  • Gymnastics
  • Handball
  • Hockey
  • Judo
  • Karate
  • Rugby
  • Rowing
  • Scouting
  • Scrabble
  • Squash
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Table Tennis
  • Volleyball
  • Wrestling
  • Wushu

Clubs & Societies

  • Aeronautical club
  • Archives Society
  • Art Foundation
  • AURA Music Group
  • Buddhist Society
  • Commerce Society
  • Computer Society
  • Drama Society
  • English Literary Association
  • Environment Society
  • QUIZ LEAGUE
  • astronomy and space science association

  • Globe Society
  • Hindu Society
  • Islamic Majlis (Islamic Society)
  • Information Technology Club
  • Library Society
  • Media Circle
  • Music Circle (Theewraa Orchestra)
  • Oriental Music Group (Ghandharva Orchestra)
  • Philatelic Association
  • Photographic Society
  • Wildlife Society
  • Radio Electronic and Video graphic Association
  • Red Cross Society
  • Rotary Club
  • Science Society
  • Scouts Troop (60th Colombo)
  • Sinhala Debating Team
  • Sinhala Sahithya Sangamaya (Sinhala Literary Association)
  • Tamil Literary Association
  • Tamil Debating Team
  • THEEWRAA Music Group
  • United Nations Association
  • Western Music Association (WMADS)]


Main Article: Clubs and Associations of D.S. Senanayake College.

School hostel

The Government of Sri Lanka offered a building previously occupied by the Crime Investigation Bureau in 2003. After renovating the building the school hostel was opened in January 2003.

Prefects

The Prefects body is composed of Student Volunteers, Student Guides and Senior Prefects. The Student Volunteers are selected from Grade 12 and they go onto become Students Guides in Grade 13. After completing the GCE (Advanced Level) examination they are promoted to the Senior Prefects' Guild, The current Head Prefect is Pubudu Prasanne Karunarathne.

Notable alumni

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Shanika Perera (August 1, 2010). "D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo - A leader in every way". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  2. ↑ D.S.Senanayake College OBA - D.S.Senanayake College OBA
  3. ↑ Bogoda Premaratne (2007-10-04). "Success story of an educator". Sri Lanka News | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  4. ↑ Sunalie Ratnayake (2006-04-01). "D.S. Senanayake College -unity in diversity". Tamil Week. Retrieved 2014-02-18. |chapter= ignored (help)

    External links