Paththalagedara is a small picturesque village located in the Attanagalla Devisional Secretariat of the Gampaha District; Western Province, Sri Lanka. The Malwatta Free Trade Zone is located to the East of the village. The Siyane College of Education located in the heart of the village adds more significance to the village.
The small village of Paththalagedara has a historical significance, too. Its historical background runs as far back as to the reign of king Walagamba.
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How Paththalagedara got its name.
There are several legends associated with the name of this village. As history records it, Sri Lanka had to face a number of South Indian invasions during the reign of King Walagamba (BC 104-BC 103). As a result , the king had to live in hiding and organize his army to drive away the invaders.
The king assumed that he would be safe in this region. The king lived in hiding at Warana , a small village situated to the South East of Paththalagedara. It is an area abundent with residual rocky hills.
The king organized his army while in self-exile in this locality. Paththalagedara village had earned a name for making iron tools at that time. The king had faced the challenge of making the necessary weapons for his army.
It is said that the king had handed over the task of making weapons to some skilled hand-picked smith in this area. As this person had a smithy (āļ´āļ§්āļ§āļŊāļē, pattalaya; in Sinhala ) his house was known as Pattale gedara ( meaning house in Sinhala ). Hence, the name Pattale Gedara (āļ´āļ§්āļ§āļŊේ āļෙāļ¯āļģ ) later came to be known as Paththalagedra.(āļ´āļ්āļāļŊāļෙāļ¯āļģ)
Vidyaloka College , earlier known as āļ āļąුāļļāļ¯්āļ° āˇිāļ¯්āļēාāļŊāļē (meaning affiliated college ) was built on a two acre block of land belonging to The Siyane College Of Education. The motive of starting the school was to help the teacher trainees of the College of Education.
Thus, the college was officially started on February 1, 1979. The school was vested in the public by the then Minister of Education Hon. Lionel Jayathilake with a 110' x 20' building, 106 students and 3 teachers.
The first principal, Mr. Senevirathna had the Himalayan task of developing the new school with his staff of three teachers.
At the beginning classes up to Grade 3 were conducted, and by the year 1982 the school managed to bring it up to Grade 10.Even at this time the college was known as 'Siyene College of Education Affiliated School'.
The college turned a new chapter after 1980 when it got two new buildings in the years 1980 and 1981 consecutively.
The period from 1998 to 2005 , when Mr. Sarath Lilarathna was the head of school , is considered as the 'đgolden era' of Vidyaloka college.
The school was initially ( as mentioned above ) was known as Guru Vidyala Anubadda Vidyalaya. (Affiliated School to College of Education). Responding to a long request from the parents and the villagers the school was rechristened WP/ GM/ Vidyaloka Maha Vidyalaya on the 22nd September , 2003. The Sinhala Daily 'Dinamina' carried a news item with this regard.
Important Details
School census number
āļ´ාāˇāļŊ් āˇංāļāļĢāļą āļ ංāļāļē
01119
āļ´ාāˇāļŊ් āˇāļģ්āļāļē
School Category: 1 - C
Principal: Mr. Hemantha Panawala
Gmail: atvidyalokaamv@gmail.com
Address: V.M.V, Pattalagedara, Veyangoda.
Gramaseva Division: 328/B , Pattalagedara
T.P. : 0332288354
Fax: 0332288354
(Mr. Hemantha Panawala)
1. Mr. Rohan Ranasinghe (Deputy)
( In charge of the primary section)
2. Mr. W.A.K. Chaminda ( Deputy )
(Update: Mrs.S.A.G.S.R. Shriyarathna was transferred)
The Advanced Level section of the college is fed by the students of the college and the students of surrounding schools. The unit functions with the objective of opening up the door for university education. The unit is guided by a team of dedicated teachers.
Vidyaloka College conducts religious activities with different objectives. The Buddhist prelate and teacher Rev. K. Piyasiri plays a major role in organizing religious activities of the college. A special unit on guiding students on moral values has been formed under the auspices of Rev. K. Piyasiri, principal and Mrs. Thamara Kumari ( teacher)
(The Badging ceremony of SARADHARMA SENANKAYA) - 2024
A special sermon for Grade 6 (2024)
Vesak (2024) Celebrations
Guest Buddhist sermon
Vesak / Poson Sheela Campaign
Poson Bakthi Githa: 2024(Primary)
20 / 06 / 2024
Shrine room renovation.
The Renovation of the college shrine room was initiated with a charm ceremony on the 7 Feb. 2025. The Videos attached bring you all the details of the function.
Academic Achievements:
The Vidyaloka College has been able to maintain a high pass percentage at the OL examination. The pass percentage covers English medium result, too. Thus Vidyaloka College has been able to rub shoulders with the leading Central Schools in the Gampaha Education Zone.
The high pass percentage in Central Schools is thanks to the Scholarship holders whose primary education begins in schools like Vidyaloka College. Hence, schools like Vidyaloka College has sufficient reasons to be humbly proud of their academic achievements.
The English Medium Unit of Vidyaloka College has earned a credit as one of the best functioning units among the government schools in the Attanagalla Education Division.
(āļ´්āļģāļ¯ේāˇāļēේ āļģāļĸāļēේ āļ´ාāˇāļŊ් āļ āļāļģ āˇිāļ¯්āļēාāļŊෝāļ āˇිāļ¯ුāˇāļŊ English Medium āļ āļ¯්āļēාāļ´āļąāļē āˇāļ¯āˇා āļීāļģ්āļිāļēāļ් āļ āļ්āļ´āļ් āļāļģāļෙāļą āļāļ .)
A large number of students enter the school annually with the intention of following the English medium subjects.
(āˇාāļģ්āˇිāļāˇ āļ¸ෙāļ¸ āļāļāļāļē āˇāļ¯āˇා āˇිāˇාāļŊ āˇිāˇුāļą් āļ´්āļģāļ¸ාāļąāļēෙāļą් English medium Subjects āˇැāļ¯ෑāļģීāļ¸ āˇāļŗāˇා āļāļුāˇ āļ් āˇෙāļēි )
Starting English medium education in Grade 6 is a challenging task for both the teacher and the student .
6 āˇ්āļģේāļąිāļēෙāļą් English medium āļāļģāļ¸්āļˇ āļිāļģීāļ¸ āˇිāˇුāļą්āļ§ āļ¸ෙāļą්āļ¸ āļුāļģුāˇāļģāļēāļ§āļ¯ āļļාāļģāļ¯ූāļģ āļාāļģ්āļēāļ් āˇේ
Specially , the teacher has a Himalayan task ahead to prepare the students for the new environment. The teacher needs to be patient, innovative and dedicated . All these qualities could be found in the English medium teachers of Vidyaloka College .
Procedure of enrollment :
The students for the English medium Unit are selected after a written English language test. The popularity of the English Medium Unit is mainly due to the dedication and hard work of teachers .
English Medium Unit āļāļāļ§ āˇිāˇුāļą් āļļāļ¯āˇා āļැāļąීāļ¸ āļŊිāļිāļ āļ´āļģීāļ්āˇāļĢāļēāļ් āˇāļģāˇා āˇිāļ¯ුāˇෙāļąāˇා .
(Science )
(A group of students studying in the Science class)
Civics Education
( yet to feed
Primary Section
Number of teachers: 15 (as at 2024)
Number of classes : 15
Number of students : 528
Sectional Head: Mr. Rohan Ranasinghe
The primary section of any school plays a significant role in elevating its standard of education . It is the primary section that lays a solid foundation for a strong and reputed secondary education in a college.
The teachers of the primary section exert a dedicated effort in order to uplift the qualitative development of their students. An assortment of programmes are implemented annually to this effect.
Grade 1 2025 Intake Ceremony
Primary Band| VMV
Primary sportsmeet | 2025
A separate sportsmeet for the primary section is organized in order to make more opportunities available for the primary students . The maiden sportsmeet was held on the 28/2/2025 in the college playground .
đ Extra Curricular Activities Of Vidyaloka College
The College organizes different activities for the overall development of the students under the guidance of the principal.
Leadership Camps Language Camps
Sports Events Commerce Days
Debates Environment Brigade
Art Exhibitions Saradharma Senankaya
Field trips
Concerts.....etc.
A debate organized by the Sinhala Literary Association:
đ Prefects Board
The College prefects plays a significant role in assisting the college staff. The daily activities like supervision of cleaning, religious activities , security check ups etc. are carried out by the prefects .
A committee of teachers supervise the activities of prefects.
đ News and Current Affairs of Vidyaloka College
Children's Day 2024
Special seminar for Grade 5: 26/08/2024
đ The annual prize giving ceremony, 2024 was held in the college main hall on the 16th Aug.
đ The annual trip Grade 10 / 11
đ 16/7/24
Cub girl guides badging ceremony
đ A protest campaign was organized by the staff, 2/7/2024
đ18/5/2024
College cub girl guides partipated in a walk held to celebtate the 107th anniversary of the girl guide movement .
đ 20/03/2024
A specialfunction to make the Grade 6 students and parents aware of the college activities was held. The programme was organized by the Grade 6 class teachers .
The new year festival organized by the college prefecs' guild.
08/04/2024
The new year festival : primary section .
02/04/2024
A part of Zonal English Competition winners 2023.
28/03/24
A Buddhist sermon organized by āˇාāļģāļ°āļģ්āļ¸ āˇෙāļąාāļą්āļāļē was held in the college premises.
Aesthetics Education
It is widely accepted that the aesthetics skills of the Vidyaloka students comparatively stand high. The following video clips linked to SK Videos Channel bear witness to it. The aesthetic skills of the students are improved with correct dedicated guidance of the following teachers.
Mr. K.A.U.P. Kuruppu is the teacher in charge cadet platoon. The Police Cadets engage in training every morning in the college ground.
Mr. Kuruppu. ( retired in 2024)
The college has bagged a number of achievements in the field of sports. Out of the numerous sports achievements Only a few of them are mentioned below.
(See the video above) Children could be seen engaged in attending cultivated crops with their relevant teachers. It should be noted here that in most schools the agricultural activities are done in some isolated block, often away from the public eye.
The Environment Brigade:
The Environment Brigade also plays a big role in preserving and maintaining the beauty of the school premises while inculcating in children the value of fauna and flora. Currently the Environment Brigade is handled by Mrs. Sagari Wathsalya. The Brigade carries out a massive work under Mrs. Sagari's guidance.
Environment Brigade, Badging Ceremony
30/04/2024
Principal, Mr. Hemantha pinning badge to the newly sworn in member of the Environment Brigade.
TO BE CONTD.
School culture
āļ´ාāˇāļŊ් āˇංāˇ්āļෘāļිāļē
Every school has a unique culture. Everyone in the school has to get adjusted to it.
As the school is predominantly Buddhist school the academic activities of the day starts after observing pansil. Offering flowers to the Buddhist shrine is carried out by the students at class level according to a timetable. The relevant class engage in cleaning up and offering flowers to the shrine.
The main morning assembly is held in the college playground with the participation of the whole staff. Two students hoist the National flag and the college flag. It is followed by the National anthem. Then children engage in religious observances. A short programme with a few items like speeches , a song , a recitation etc. is presented. Then a teacher as selected in the order of seniority of the staff present a short speech. Finally, principal or one of the deputy principal's addresses the assembly. Offering certificates and announcing achievements of students are also done at the main assembly.
(The organizing of the morning assembly is currently made by Ms. Malsha.)
(Correction - Badging)
4) Morning programmes
(Organized by the Media unit)
5) Sathipasala programme
6) Cleaning the classrooms and school garden.
7) Training children to enjoy a song. A special item in the morning assembly.
College Scouts & Girl Guides
āļļාāļŊāļ¯āļ්āˇ āļāļ§āļēුāļු To be contd.
Media Unit
The media unit of Vidyaloka college was launched in the year 2020 with Mr.D.A. Pramith Shantha Dahanayake being the first teacher in charge of the unit. At present the media unit comprises of 20 students.
The students can get enrolled in the activities of the Unit by submitting an application. After the applications are processed , the prospective members are registered with the Unit.
It is the media unit that carries the activities of the college to the outside world. It also trains the students how to handle media for the benefit of onself and the society. The initial exposure and experience students gather through proper guidance could create legends in the field of media in the country.The members of the media unit gets opportunities to attend media workshops.
The media unit serves as a platform for students to bring out their talents.
Functions of the media unit.
1) Organizing the daily morning rreligious activities.
7) Running the Tiktok and Instegram accounts of the college .
8) Engaging in activities like announcing, singing, dubbing, artwork, technical work, video and photo editing , videography and photography.
đ The Badging Ceremony
The role of the college disciplinary committee .
(To be contd.)
Vidyaloka College Video Play list (200+)
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Vidyaloka College On a rainy day
A Vidyaloka Son who bid adieu to life
đ Modes Of Transport
As the Vidyaloka College is notably located in a rather isolated place majority of the students use some mode of transport to attend school. A survey was conducted with this regard on the 9th Oc. 24 using a crossection of the students excluding the primary section.
A complete report of the survey is available in the following video on youtube .
Staff trip 2024
VidyalokaAnnul Fair 2024
Vidyaloka| Paththalagedara| PTS
AL Drama & Theater | How to prepare for Practical Test | Chamara Anudath , the drama teacher at Vidyaloka College conducted an awareness session with the SK Videos Channel 17th Jan. 2025. He is also a state award winner as a makeup artist.
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