our mission

By 1950 some of the recommendations of the Kannangara report had been implemented but many believed that the opportunities for educational equality were inadequate. So the state took up the recommendation of the White Paper on education (1950), to trifurcate education at grade 8, when compulsory education ended. One of the three streams was the academic. These, in keeping with this policy, Government Girls’ College, Castle Street (currently known as Devi Balika Vidyalaya) was set up with classes from grade 9 to 12, catering to academically gifted girls. The Department of Education further intended this new school to be a centre of excellence in science education, an area of knowledge for which there was great demand after World War II. But not long after, it became clear that trifurcation of education was not the answer to our problems. But by then the vision for Devi as a school for academically gifted girls, specially strong in science, had taken hold.



Mrs. Wimala de Silva (Late Deshabandu Dr. (Mrs.) Wimala de Silva) was its founder principal. With the enthusiasm of a young and energetic staff and above all with the unstinting help of her husband - Dr. S.L. de Silva particularly in developing science teaching, she started this great voyage.






Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Under the recommendations of the White Paper on Education (1950), Government Girls’ College, Castle Street, Borella, was set up. This exclusive girls’ school was founded in January, 1953 with 53 students and 6 teachers, in a building constructed with pre-fabricated materials. It had classes from grade 9 to 12. The objective of the founders was to provide an education to enable its students to fulfil their potential and to meet responsibilities to the community in keeping with the school motto - " Those who are disciplined in mind are wise".

Later the name of the school was changed to ‘Devi Balika Vidyalaya’. Today it stands to be one of the leading Buddhist girls’ schools in Sri Lanka. Today girls are admitted at level of grade six, on the results of an island wide scholarship examination.

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Rathnawali Balika Maha Vidyalaya Colombo 08

Our school began under the name of "Buddhist Girls' College" in a house called "The Firs" at Turret Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was moved to its present premises at Vajira Road on the 21st of November 1927 and named "Rathnavali BalikaMaha Vidyalaya" by Lady Herbert Stanley, the wife of the then Governor of Ceylon. From humble beginnings, Visakha Vidyalaya has risen to the position of the most sought after school for girls in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, it is the only girls' school identified amongst the first National Schools in the Island.
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