Despite academic achievements old school left to decay

Special corr

Suriya Vidyalaya, Hegoda, Boossa has a history dating back to 1927. Situated two and half miles inland from the Galle - Colombo road it has primary classes, dedicated teachers but has no sufficient physical resources. An 80 year building already condemned by the Provincial Council engineer still houses the classes and children. Its roof and walls are dilapidated. The tin sheets laid on the roof get blown away when strong winds accompany rain. The lives of the children are in danger. Appeals to provincial authorities have fallen on deaf ears.

Parents, teachers and children are worried whether the authorities are contemplating to close down the school.

In which case most of the children coming from poor families would find it difficult to continue studies. Their anxiety is understandable because even in 2000 it was once closed down for four years.

Despite the lack of physical resources Sooriya Vidyalaya has an excellent academic record. In 2009 it had the highest percentage of passes (36) at the Grade V Scholarship Examination in the Ambalangoda educational zone.

The students who got through are M. Malshan Aditya (147 marks), Nipuni Satsarani (147 marks), D C Hirushan Wickremesinghe (160 marks), Denetti Sachinta Radhi (166 marks) and S Ridma Minoli de Silva (176 marks).

The high standard of teaching could also be gauged from the fact that there were 78 applications for admission to Grade One in January 2010. It is the only school which has been selected from the Southern Province to provide laptop computers to every child.

The school has won the first and second places at the zonal and divisional English Day competitions. It also could get a merit award at the school cleanliness competition conducted by the Chief Ministry.

Another achievement of the school is that its students are capable of communicating in all three languages Sinhala, Tamil and English.

The school badly needs a building to house eight classrooms, a library, play ground and many facilities that it has been denied of so far.

Those wishing to assist the school could contact Principal S Rupasiri.

His contact number is 071 811 5394.