St. Joseph's College is a 1AB national school located in Bandarawela, Uva, Sri Lanka.Founded in 1909 by the De La Salle Brothers, A Roman Catholic Missionary Congregation, It was later administered by the Marist Brothers in 1915 and was vasted in Government in 1961.It is also known as Bandarawela St. Joseph's National School. Established in 1909, the school provides primary and secondary education to students in the Badulla District.

The campus occupies on a section of Badulla Road which is part of the A16 highway.

History In 1909, St. Joseph's School was established by the De La Salle Brothers. Seventeen boys were admitted on the first day. The first principal was an Irishman, Patrick Purchell, known as Brother Simon Mathew. However, the land on which the school was situated was sold in 1914.

The land was repurchased in 1928 by the Marist Brothers. In this second stage, the first principal was known as the Reverend Brother Lewis. By the time of his departure in 1934, there were 250 students.

St. Joseph's remained a private school until 1961, when it became a government school. The first principal under the new system was Arthur Deegalle.

In 1974, the primary section was added and girls were admitted, making it a mixed school. In 1981, the school was recognised as a National School by the Ministry of Education, and it was graded a 1 AB school in 1999.

Administration The Headmaster is the head of the administration of the college and is assisted by a deputy rector. The school is divided into three sections: the primary school (the former St. Joseph's College Preparatory School), middle school and the upper school, each coming under a deputy headmaster.

In addition, Sectional Heads and Academic Coordinators are appointed for all sections from Grade 6 to 13.

The college has also appointed a Discipline Master, English Master, Cadet Master, Band Master, Sports Master, Scout Master, and Prefect of Games (POG).

The non-academic staff ( minor staff ) of the college includes Clerks, a Store Keeper, Laboratory Assistants, Peons, Watchers, Gardeners, Sanitary Labourers, and Drivers.

The college educates close to 3,000 students.

Activities

Houses St. Joseph's College assigns its students to one of four houses to encourage cooperation and friendly competition: Blue House Gold House Green House Maroon House

Annually, the college organizes inter-house athletic games to improve the athletic skills of the students as well as their team spirit.

Sports

Battle of the Golds Uva St. Joseph's College has a standing rivalry with Bandarawela Central College and have engaged in an annual cricket match titled the "Battle of the Golds Uva" since 1996. This is a revival of an older tradition of competition between these two schools that had been dormant since 1972.

Cadeting

The College Cadet Wing has a very long history, dating back to the distant past even before 1950.

The College had two Cadet Platoons as Junior and Senior, and the Cadet Platoons have qualified for the annually held Assessment Camps as well as the Hermann Loos Camp.

Furthermore, in the year 2008, the Army Cadet, Sea Cadet, and Air Cadet platoons introduced by the National Cadet Corps were also started in the College, and the College has produced more than 15 Cadet Regimental Sergeant Majors to date.

The College has produced more than 15 Cadet Regimental Sergeant Majors, a testament to its strong cadeting tradition.

Cadet Band

The College Cadet Band Platoon was initiated in 1997 under the leadership of Sergeant Rasika Lokuhettiarachchi, and was officially registered as a Cadet Band of the National Cadet Corps in 1998. At present, it contributes to all special events of the College, and also participates in the National Cadet Corps All Island Western Band Competition, serves as the duty band for passing-out parades at cadet assessment camps, and competes in events such as the Wind Band Competition.

Sergeant Ravindu Viraj was appointed as the first Cadet Under Officer of the Cadet Band in 2018. He was promoted to WO2 Company Sergeant Major (CSM) in 2019. The second Under Officer was Cadet Band Sergeant Hareen Jayawardhana in 2024. He was appointed as WO2 Cadet Drill Instructor in 2025, and he is also the first in the history of our College Cadet Band to be appointed as the Western Cadet Band Corps WO1 RSM of the National Cadet Corps in 2026

2019 All Island Western Cadet Band Competition

Head Masters / Principals

TitleNamePeriodImage Rev. Father Simon Mathew (First Principal) 1909-1913 Rev. Brother Benjamin Lewis 1928-1933 Rev. Brother Elarius 1934-1938 Rev. Brother Onorius 1939-1951 Rev. Brother James 1952-1952 Rev. Brother Rudolph 1959-1961 Mr. W. M. de Silva (Acting Principal) 1962-1963 Mr. A. Deegalla 1963-1964 Mr. Pereliya K. Harschandra 1964-1967 Mr. S. W. Fernando 1967-1975 Mr. C. W. L. Mendis 1975-1978 Ven. Kanumuldeniye Ganaratana thera 1978-1994 Mr. H.M. Weerasekare (Acting Principal) 1994-1995 Mr. R. M. A. Rathnayake 1995-1996 Mr. A. M. Jayasekare (Acting Principal) 1996 Mr. D. M. Gunaratna 1996-2001 Mr. W. M. Karunasena 2001-2005 Mr. Withanage Wijesinghe (Acting Principal) 2005-2006 Mr. K. H. P. Jayatissa 2006-2011 Mr. Y. M. Amarasinghe (Acting Principal )Mr. W.M. Bandula Wijesundara Mr.Somarathne (Acting Principal)Mr. R.W.M. Chandrasena(Acting Principal )Mr. R.M. Laksiri J. Ranasinghe 10-06-2021Mr.S.K. Samaranayake2026

References

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