S. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa (abbreviated as STCG), is a fee-levying Anglican selective entry boys' private school located in Gurutalawa, in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. The college was founded as a private school by Dr. R. L. Hayman, the longest serving sub warden of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, in 1942. The college is administered by the Church of Ceylon.
Administration The college forms a branch of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, which is under the Anglican Church of Ceylon, is run by a Board of Governors which is chaired by the Anglican Bishop of Colombo, who is also known as the "Visitor of the College". The administration of the college is headed by a headmaster, who is an Anglican priest.
History S. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa was founded by Dr. R. L. Hayman in 1942,The ever ministering angelThe school in the hills as a branch of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. A farm with some land and buildings was donated to the college by Leslie de Saram and his wife.
Due to the Japanese war threats to Colombo, during World War II, the State Council decided in February 1942 to close all schools in the Colombo District. There were over 700 boys at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and as the Warden explored possibilities of opening branches inland, Leslie De Seram made the generous offer of their farm at Gurutalawa.
Current status The college is a fully fledged school catering to extra-curricular activities with a swimming pool and has facilities for nearly all sports including athletics, cricket, basketball, rugby, volleyball, squash, soccer, table tennis, hockey, badminton, swimming as well as activities like scouting, hiking and trekking. There is also the encouragement for a variety of societies and clubs, debating, oratory, oriental dancing and music.
Headmasters No.Name of HeadmasterYears ServedFromTo1. W. R. L. Hayman 1942 19452. C. H. L. Davidson 1946 19473. W. R. L. Hayman 1948 19624. A. J. Foster 1963 1964 (Acting)5. A. K. Chapman 1965 (Acting)6. K. Dassanayake 1965 (Acting)7. F. Jayasinghe 1965 19688. E. L. Perera 1968 19749. M. L. C. Ilangakoon 1975 197710. S. C. H. De Silva 1977 198111. E. St. P. Gunawardene 1982 198712. J. De S. Jayasinghe (Acting)13. J. B. Gunasegaram 1988 198914. H. C. Goodchild 1989 1990 (Acting)15. C. B. Ratnayake 1990 199716. L. A. M. Chandrasekera 1997 1999 (Acting)17. I. A. Fernando 1999 200118. G. C. Mendis 2001 200319. E. G. J. Canagasabey 2004 200620. J. Huyghebaert 2007 (Acting) 21. N. M. P. Billimoria 2007201222. Nihal Fernando2012201723. S. P. Nesakumar 2018 202224. U. U. K. Laksiri S. Perrera 2023 present
Notable alumni
Bradmon Weerakoon - Civil Servant and served as the Secretary to the several Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka (Such as Sir.John Kotelawala, Solomon Bandaranaike, Wijayananda Dahanayake, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Dudley Senanayake, Ranasinghe Premadasa, Dingiri Banda Wijetunga, Chandrika Kumaratunga & Ranil Wickremesinghe) General Ranjan Wijeratne - Former Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of State for DefenseLate Minister Mr. Ranjan Wijeratne Revd. Dr. Lakshman Wickremasinghe - Bishop in the Church of England and Human Rights activist Buddhika Kurukularatne - Former Member of Parliament, Attorney at Law, social worker and author Sarath Muttetuwegama - Former Member of Parliament for Kalawana Seat, Ratnapura District Ananda Kumarasiri - Current Deputy Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Current member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for Wellawaya Seat, Monaragala District Keerthi Thennakoon - Former Governor of the Central Province of Sri Lanka, Former Governor of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka Jagath Pushpakumara - Former Minister of Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development, Former Non-Cabinet Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development, Former Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries, Agriculture, Social Services, Samurdhi, Poverty Alleviation, Mahaweli Development, Livestock Development, Estate Infrastructure and Former Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament for Wellawaya Seat, Monaragala District Dr.Frank de Silva - 24th Sri Lankan Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ananda Dassanayake - Former Governor of the Uva Province of Sri Lanka & Former Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament Clifford Ratwatte - Former Member of Parliament for Balangoda Seat, Former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Food, Co-operatives and Fisheries, Former Chairman of the State Plantations Corporation and the Sri Lanka Tea Board & The younger brother of Late Prime Minister of Ceylon, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Ratwatte Nalanda Ellawala - Former Member of parliament for Ratnapura District & Former Member of Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Keheliya Rambukwella - Current Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament for Kandy District, Former Minister of Mass Media and Information, Former Member of The United National Party Sasi Mahendran – Judge of the Court of Appeal since 2021
References
External links
Official website of S. Thomas' College Gurutalawa Old Boys Association Official website of S. Thomas' College Gurutalawa '62 Group Official website of S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia Church of Ceylon - The Anglican Church in Sri Lanka Great strides of wartime school in the hills S. Thomas' College stcguru.org- Reflections on the Diamond Jubilee of S. Thomas' College Gurutalawa Mrs Mary Hayman Biography of an old boy STC OBA Australia STC OBA Canada Old Thomians