St Benedict's College Colombo
Encyclopedia
St. Benedict's College is a Catholic school located in Kotahena area of Colombo
, Sri Lanka
. This school was founded in 1865 and is managed by De La Salle Brothers. The school is considered as one of the leading schools in Sri Lanka, with a history of over 145 years. The school has being monumental in producing reputed pupils who have gained fame internationally and locally in various fields. St. Benedict's College has been able to produce good results academically and has also produced All-Island champion teams in Cricket, Football, Basketball and hockey.
The school is also well renowned for the Western Band and College choir, that have performed phenomenally in society. Currently Rev. Bro. Granville Perera FSC is the Director of the College. The school was considered as the leading school in the island in the 1960s.
The past Directors of the College include Bro. Wulton James, Bro. Claude-Marie, Bro. Luke Gregory, Bro. Rene Albert, Bro. Austin Anthony, Bro. Glastian Oliver, Bro. Alban Patrick, Bro. Athanace Charles, Bro. Osmund Gregory and Bro. Anselm Calixtus.
The College section consists of a Main Hall, Library, 2 Computer Laboratories, Lecture Hall, Physics, Biology and Chemistry Laboratories, 3 Music & Arts rooms and a Language Center. All these facilities are fully available to the students of the College enabling them to gain maximum use. In this way, the College administration ensures the Academic lives of the young Christians are well sought after.
The College also provides numerous other facilities for various needs of the Staff and Students. Sports, Co-curricular activities and Extra Curricular activities play a huge role in the education provided at the College. Students also have the opportunity of seeking for psychological counseling under a well trained and experienced unit.
The College staff consists of 120 qualified and well trained individuals who educate the students academically, mentally, spiritually and socially. Around 1700 students currently study at the College.
The College Prefects' Board consists of 40 students who are selected on their all-round performances and contributions towards the College. The Prefects make themselves available for many College activities such as special events, collegiate occasions, general assemblies and day-to-day discipline.
The Primary section consists of 2 main buildings, with classroom facilities of up to 40 classes, a fully equipped library and a language unit. The Primary also has a Western band, Eastern band, Choir and Scout Troop on its own. The Primary Prefects board consists of 20 Prefects who attend all school occasions and keep the discipline of the young ones in tact.
The St. Benedict's College Primary is the first such Primary section of a school in the country to have its own Basketball court. It also has facilities for Table Tennis in addition to the main sports of Cricket, Tennis and Swimming.
The Primary section, which is located apart from the College, educates all the young minds that enter the school during the initial years. Around 1000 pupils are handled by a staff of 60 teachers. The Primary section consists of well-equipped classrooms, Library, Computer Laboratory, Music Hall and an Arts room. In addition the Primary students are given opportunities in taking part in Cub-Scouting, Sports such as Cricket, Basketball and Swimming and Western and Eastern bands.
The College Section consists of Grades 6-13 and gives students more and more opportunities to improve their character as a whole. All classrooms are given necessary facilities for the students to make use of. There are also 2 Computer Laboratories, a Library, Music, Dancing and Arts rooms, Physics, Biology and Chemistry Laboratories and a state-of-the-art Lecture Hall.
The list of Sports at St. Benedict's College are as follows:
The College owns a fully equipped modern-day Gymnasium to address the fitness issues of all sportsmen. There's also a fully equipped Sports-Hostel to provide Accommodation to Sportsmen who come to Colombo from far, for Sporting events. The College grounds is situated at Bloemendhal Road, which consists of Cricket pithes and turf, Rugby posts, football goals and Hockey goals. It also provides facilities for various Athletic disciplines.
Within the College premises, the College has 2 Basketball Courts, of which one could be used for night games, a Gymnasium for Gymnastics and Acrobatics training and a state-of-the-art Swimming Pool with viewing facilities. The Swimming Pool was constructed in the year 2010 with the facilities for as many as 100 spectators to view the action.
Clubs and Societies:
The Old Boys have set up many support bodies to help the college in every way possible. Old Boys Union is the main past pupils association while Welfare Society, Old Bens Sports Club and the Development Fund are the subsidiary units.
The various OBU branches are:
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. This school was founded in 1865 and is managed by De La Salle Brothers. The school is considered as one of the leading schools in Sri Lanka, with a history of over 145 years. The school has being monumental in producing reputed pupils who have gained fame internationally and locally in various fields. St. Benedict's College has been able to produce good results academically and has also produced All-Island champion teams in Cricket, Football, Basketball and hockey.
The school is also well renowned for the Western Band and College choir, that have performed phenomenally in society. Currently Rev. Bro. Granville Perera FSC is the Director of the College. The school was considered as the leading school in the island in the 1960s.
History
St. Benedict's College, the oldest Roman Catholic school in Sri Lanka, was inaugurated in the year 1865 by the Benedictine Monks. The school consisted of few classrooms and a small staff at first. In the year 1868, the De La Salle Brothers took over the administration of the College. Since then the school was headed by many Brothers who belonged to the La Sallian Community and the school grew in reputation and conduct over the decades.The past Directors of the College include Bro. Wulton James, Bro. Claude-Marie, Bro. Luke Gregory, Bro. Rene Albert, Bro. Austin Anthony, Bro. Glastian Oliver, Bro. Alban Patrick, Bro. Athanace Charles, Bro. Osmund Gregory and Bro. Anselm Calixtus.
Present College
Presently the College is headed by Rev. Bro. Granville Perera FSC. The College provides education to around 3000 students with a staff of around 200 qualified and trained teachers. Students are enrolled from Grade 1 to Grade 13 with the local syllabus in English Sinhala and Tamil mediums. London A/L syllabus is also available for the Advanced Level students in various streams. The College has performed exceptionally well in the recent Grade 5 Scholarship examinations, G.C.E. Ordinary Level examinations as well as the G.C.E. Advanced Level examinations with resounding results. The College maintains a high conduct of Academic activities that encourage students to fulfill their academic careers in the apt way.The school is regarded to be one of the best Catholic schools in Sri Lanka and is renowned for its discipline. The principle of the school Rev. Bro. Granville Perera is specially renowned for his strict discipline.The College section consists of a Main Hall, Library, 2 Computer Laboratories, Lecture Hall, Physics, Biology and Chemistry Laboratories, 3 Music & Arts rooms and a Language Center. All these facilities are fully available to the students of the College enabling them to gain maximum use. In this way, the College administration ensures the Academic lives of the young Christians are well sought after.
The College also provides numerous other facilities for various needs of the Staff and Students. Sports, Co-curricular activities and Extra Curricular activities play a huge role in the education provided at the College. Students also have the opportunity of seeking for psychological counseling under a well trained and experienced unit.
The College
The premises which accommodates grades six to thirteen (locally referred to as "the college") is situated adjacent to St. Lucia's Cathedral which serves as a landmark for the area. The Clock Tower building, Main Building, Rev. Bro. Luke Memorial Building, Rev. Bro. Alexander Memorial Building and the Main Hall Building are the buildings that complete the College section. Academic facilities are provided throughout the College for various groups of students in combination with co-curricular and extra-curricular facilities to enhance the studentship lives.The College staff consists of 120 qualified and well trained individuals who educate the students academically, mentally, spiritually and socially. Around 1700 students currently study at the College.
The College Prefects' Board consists of 40 students who are selected on their all-round performances and contributions towards the College. The Prefects make themselves available for many College activities such as special events, collegiate occasions, general assemblies and day-to-day discipline.
The Primary
The Primary is situated apart from the College section, enabling the young, budding Benedictines to enjoy a serene environment to carry out their studies, play and socializing. The 60 member strong staff provide education to around 1000 students in fields of academy, sports arts and music.The Primary section consists of 2 main buildings, with classroom facilities of up to 40 classes, a fully equipped library and a language unit. The Primary also has a Western band, Eastern band, Choir and Scout Troop on its own. The Primary Prefects board consists of 20 Prefects who attend all school occasions and keep the discipline of the young ones in tact.
The St. Benedict's College Primary is the first such Primary section of a school in the country to have its own Basketball court. It also has facilities for Table Tennis in addition to the main sports of Cricket, Tennis and Swimming.
Education
St. Benedict's College has been renowned throughout the recent past for the quality of education provided to all of its pupils. The significance of this education is that it is a part of the Catholic background of the College, serving every aspect of the young boys. Around 2800 students gain education in 13 Grades under a qualified, talented and experienced Staff unit.The Primary section, which is located apart from the College, educates all the young minds that enter the school during the initial years. Around 1000 pupils are handled by a staff of 60 teachers. The Primary section consists of well-equipped classrooms, Library, Computer Laboratory, Music Hall and an Arts room. In addition the Primary students are given opportunities in taking part in Cub-Scouting, Sports such as Cricket, Basketball and Swimming and Western and Eastern bands.
The College Section consists of Grades 6-13 and gives students more and more opportunities to improve their character as a whole. All classrooms are given necessary facilities for the students to make use of. There are also 2 Computer Laboratories, a Library, Music, Dancing and Arts rooms, Physics, Biology and Chemistry Laboratories and a state-of-the-art Lecture Hall.
Sports
St. Benedict's College, since its inception in 1865, has been in the forefront of Sport in the Island. The school has been pioneers and front-runners of many sporting activities throughout the decades. The College produced the All-Island Champion Cricket team in 1964/65, was the first ever school to introduce Rugby to the Schooling sector in the whole country, became All-Island Athletic Champions in 2008, All-Island Football Champions in 2006, 2007 and 2008, All-Island Basketball Champions in 2006 & 2009 and All-Island Hockey Champions in 2007. The College continues to perform well in every Sports tournament reflecting the talent, dedication and courage of the Benedicties.The list of Sports at St. Benedict's College are as follows:
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Athletics -
Football -
RugbyRugby footballRugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
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BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules... -
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GymnasticsGymnasticsGymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body... -
SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
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CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the... -
HockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks... -
TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
The College owns a fully equipped modern-day Gymnasium to address the fitness issues of all sportsmen. There's also a fully equipped Sports-Hostel to provide Accommodation to Sportsmen who come to Colombo from far, for Sporting events. The College grounds is situated at Bloemendhal Road, which consists of Cricket pithes and turf, Rugby posts, football goals and Hockey goals. It also provides facilities for various Athletic disciplines.
Within the College premises, the College has 2 Basketball Courts, of which one could be used for night games, a Gymnasium for Gymnastics and Acrobatics training and a state-of-the-art Swimming Pool with viewing facilities. The Swimming Pool was constructed in the year 2010 with the facilities for as many as 100 spectators to view the action.
Extra-curricular activities
St. Benedict's College is an institution of a host of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Almost all the students involve themselves in particular extra activities, which enhances the academic life, helps build personality and maintain healthy relationships with pupils outside of the class. All the societies, unions, clubs and movements have been set up in view of encouraging students to be active and social as well as to improve teacher-student and student-student relationships.- Scouting
- St. John Ambulance First Aid
- Western Band
- Shakespeare Drama Club
- College Choir
- Eastern Dancing Troop
Clubs and Societies:
- Commerce Union
- Interact Club
- Science Union
- Tamil Literary Union
- English Debate Club
- IT Society
- Scrabble Club
- Young Christian Students
- English Literary Union
- Legion of Mary
- Sinhala Literary Union
Old Boys
The Old Boys of St. Benedict's College play a huge role in the affairs and ventures of the college. All the past pupils who have passed through the gates of the school have always wanted to 'give back' to their alma mater. The Loyal Old Bens have been instrumental in all the projects, functions and special events of the college, by participating in them and sharing their experiences and thoughts.The Old Boys have set up many support bodies to help the college in every way possible. Old Boys Union is the main past pupils association while Welfare Society, Old Bens Sports Club and the Development Fund are the subsidiary units.
Old Boys Union
The Old Boys Union of St. Benedict's College was inaugurated in 1903 and has since been the main support body of the College in many activities and fund-raising ventures. The OBU consists of ardent Old Bens who have excelled in various fields, willing to contribute to the College at any moment. Today, the Union is 2000 members strong and associates with all the activities of the College effectively.Welfare Society
This society was re-activated in 1995 with a view to supervise and manage income and expenditure on a day to day basis. Funds are also allocated for infrastructure development. The membership is open to pas pupils, teachers and parents.Development Fund
This body manages funds raised annually by the Old Boys Union for infrastructure development, teacher training, career guidance as well as setting up of new educational facilities. This is managed by a Board whose members are nominated by the Director of the College.Old Bens Sports Club
The Sports Club is a sub-unit of the OBU. While functioning to enhance the talents of the past students, the club has taken upon itself the task of improving the standard of sports among the students. The Sports Club has a track record of producing champion teams in basketball, hockey and soccer.Overseas OBU branches
Various OBU branches have been set up in different parts of the world by the ardent Old Boys of the College. The men living in different parts of the world have got together and created OBU branches as support bodies of their alma mater.The various OBU branches are:
- New York
- United Kingdom
- Paris
- Sydney
- British Columbia
- Canada
- Dubai
- Western Australia
- Victoria
- California