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Sujatha Vidyalaya, one of the schools built on national values is a product of the immediate Post Independence era. It will complete 40 years service to the nation next year gaining the eminent reputation of a long standing leading girls' school rendering a valuable service to the national cause.

Sujatha Vidyalaya undoubtedly paved the way for the ideal woman who played a very important role in the nation building. One is proud to say that Sujatha Vidyalaya was the only private school at the time to reserve the culture and discipline of the olden society of the country which was a very rare feature.

The mission of the Founder was to educate the future mother by giving them a sense of dignity, responsibility and leadership to conquer the new changing world without losing our good old traditions. More so to enable the future mother to lead the offspring through the correct path.

The proper education of the mother had a definite bearing on this worthy task and the social and political conditions of the country. One cannot estimate the hard work gone through in preparing a place to mould the future of the young girl. A place for this worthy cause naming it Sujatha Vidyalaya was founded by late Mr. Linton Kuruppu with the backing of his parents for the betterment of the country.

The realisation of his cherish dream became a success when he met late Mrs. Clara Motwani who became the first Principal of Sujatha Vidyalaya.

Their combination in organising Sujatha was a timely union, which provided leadership to this revival in education in the post Independence era. Though an alien to Ceylonese soil, her wealth of experience and attraction to Buddhist Philosophy and the Buddhist way of life laid the foundation for the upbringing of the correct Sujathian with perfect discipline and superior performance. Her stay at Sujatha for 23 years was sufficient time for the above task. In recognition of her service to education of the Sri Lankan woman she was honoured with the award of the Deshabandu while serving Sujatha.

It is indeed a pleasure to recall the immeasurable service rendered to the nation as a whole by Sujatha Vidyalaya in the post Independence era. The way the school was brought under one roof at various stages is a remarkable achievement in his struggle to establish the school on a sound footing.

Since its inception Sujatha Vidyalaya was in Colombo until 1983 when it was shifted to Negegoda to its own premises with the government initiative to ease the congestion in the city of Colombo and to help the society in the suburbs of Colombo. In the context of an institution imparting education to a countless number of girls whose young lives are moulded and shaped, Sujatha Vidyalaya today stands as a silent monument of the post independence era, continuing the service to the nation begun four decades ago.

His service to the nation is two-fold. Not only did he establish Sujatha Vidyalaya but also he did a great service by providing a son to continue the work begun by him to carry the school forward into the new millennium in keeping with modern and developing trends.

The name and frame of Sujatha Vidyalaya has spread everywhere in the island as well as the world. It ranks the best among the best performing schools. Under the present Managing Director an immense pillar of strength, an Educationist of the highest calibre, Sujatha has entered a new era. Over the years it has grown to be a leading school in providing quality education.

Enormous measures are being taken for the well-being of the school. He is marching forward with a re-structuring process for expansion and modernisation. He has a clear vision of his future plans and an iron will to implement them. With high rises right round former Sujatha Vidyalaya, he is planning for further high rises in the immediate future.

The role of Sujatha Vidyalaya in the light of education of girls is very important. He dreams of a model private school. His first task was to address the issue of space. There has been a tremendous improvement in the recent past both in infrastructure, methodology and system development. The expansion programme included the construction of the four storied building which was part and parcel of the accelerated development programme of the new millennium.

The most attractive addition in the new building is the computer centre. The school has made a significant move in the field of computer education and information technology to prepare the students to face the challenges of the new millennium. The newly constructed colourful preschool with an eco friendly environment was the 2nd attempt to make Sujatha Vidyalaya a complete institution comprising of all sections - preschool, primary and A/L. Sujatha primary has earned the reputation of being the best and the model primary in the entire educational zone. The provision of quality education including all aspects extra and co-curricular activities, in numerous club activities moral development and job orientation at higher levels is remarkable achievement.

The massive contribution made towards the progress of English is the most praiseworthy. Sujatha Vidyalaya has long been recognised as one of the best for English. All the club activities and functions are conducted in English enabling the girls of the day to find a place in society towards a hopeful future giving them more refinement as it is always the mothers who crack their brains tirelessly for the benefit of the children. He is of the view that fluency in English is a major requirement for the future. Another bold step forward is the commencement of the English medium classes as a means of upgrading the educational facilities giving prominence to English.

The next with a determined programme A/L section has been transformed rapidly and Sujatha Vidyalaya motivates students to their highest achievement in every sphere and finally Sujatha Vidyalaya has built a reputation for qualitative education in Sri Lanka.

The upward path during the past 4 years had certainly not been easy but the sheer hard work, determination and dedication has been truly instrumental in achieving Sujatha's successful climb to the top enabling her to make the greatest possible contribution to the nation building during the Post Independence era.

- Rupa Banduwardena

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