Royal College, Colombo

Royal College
Royal College motto on top of the Main building
Location
Map

Coordinates6°54′16″N 79°51′40″E / 6.90444°N 79.86111°E / 6.90444; 79.86111
Information
Former namesColombo Academy; Hill Street Academy
School typePublic National school
MottoFloreat (Flourish)
Disce aut discede (Learn or Depart)
EstablishedJanuary 1835 (January 1835)
FounderJoseph Marsh
Robert Wilmot-Horton
PrincipalThilak Waththuhewa
Staff400
Grades1-13
GenderBoys
Age6 to 19
Enrollment9,000
LanguageSinhala, Tamil, English
Color(s)Navy blue and royal gold
  
Song"School of our Fathers"
PublicationRoyal College Magazine,
The Royalist
AffiliationMinistry of Education
AlumniOld Royalists
Websitewww.royalcollege.lk

Royal College, Colombo (Sinhala: රාජකීය විද්‍යාලය, Tamil: ரோயல் கல்லூரி also known as; Royal Colombo,[1][2] Colombo Royal College[3] or Colombo Royal[4]) is a selective entry boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started by Joseph Marsh in 1835,[5] it was established as the Colombo Academy by Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton in January 1836, as part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Colebrooke Cameron Commission (1833), and was the first government-run secondary school for boys[6] in the island.

Royal College is the first public school in Sri Lanka[7][8][9][10][11] and is often referred to as the "Eton of Sri Lanka".[12] The school was founded in the British public school tradition, based on the recommendations of the Colebrooke Cameron Commission (1833), and having been named the Royal College, Colombo in 1881 with consent from Queen Victoria, it became the first school to gain the prefix, "Royal", outside of the British Isles and it was one of the first schools to be designated as a national school by the Sri Lankan Government in the 1980s.

As a national school, it is funded by the government as opposed to the provincial council providing both primary and secondary education. The school was set as one of the most innovative educational institutions in the world at the fifth annual Worldwide Innovative Education Forum (IEF), organised by the Microsoft Corporation in 2009.[13]

The students of Royal College are known as Royalists[14][15] whilst past pupils are known as Old Royalists.[16] The school has produced many distinguished alumni, among whom are presidents of two countries,[17] a sultan,[18] and four prime ministers.[17]

  1. ^ ROYAL COLOMBO, AVE MARIA NEGOMBO OVERALL CHAMPS
  2. ^ Royal Colombo beat DSS by 90 runs
  3. ^ Army Boxers Clinch the 96th National Boxing Championship 2023
  4. ^ Chandrananda BC downs Colombo Royal
  5. ^ "We will learn of books and men and learn to play the game". The Island (Sri Lanka). 14 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Colombo Academy becomes Royal College". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 30 July 2006.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference MoE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "HNB launches revamped Student Savings Unit at Royal College". Daily News. 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Down the Royal lane". Daily News. 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Colombo Academy becomes Royal College". Sunday Times. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  11. ^ Seneviratne, D. L. (2020). From MARSH to BOAKE-The Founding Fathers of Royal College. Colombo, Sri Lanka. ISBN 9786249560406.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^ "Sri Lanka's 'Eton' celebrates its 175th birthday". BBC News. 6 February 2010.
  13. ^ "Microsoft puts Royal College among world's most innovative schools". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 8 November 2009.
  14. ^ "The day the Royalists stole the Thomian Thunder: Guneratne Trophy '92". Daily FT. 14 July 2012.
  15. ^ Razak, Rukshan (1 July 2012). "Trinity retain the Bradby". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  16. ^ "Royal College fetes eminent past products". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 1 July 2012.
  17. ^ a b "Youth who serve the nation can look back with pride in future – President".
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference Royalty was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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