History of Ananda Balika Vidyalaya, Kotte

Due to years of colonialism, Sinhala Buddhist education was collapsed. Considering this situation, a school was built for Sinhala Buddhist children in Kotte town with the great efforts of lay scholars such as Mr. Anagarika Dharmapala, Mr. Henry Olkat, and most venerable Ambulgama thero. It was called the "Buddhist Sinhala School".

​

Later, in the year 1992, it was known as Ananda Shastralaya.  During this time, Dr. E.W. Adhikaram President of Parama Vijnanartha Buddhist Company, who was a leader in Buddhist education.  Under the leadership of Mr. Adikaram, many philanthropists and social workers of the area went door to door and collected money and a plot of land measuring 5 acres 1 rood 23.4 perches was purchased for the Buddhist college.  The student hostel and playground of Ananda Shastralaya were built on this land and later it became the secondary school of this school.

​

To fullfill the need of a girls' school in Kotte area, Kotte Ananda Balika Vidyalaya was established on 11th of January, 1971. The first principal was Mrs. K. Welikala. In the beginning, the teaching staff was thirty-seven and the number of students were nine hundred and eighty-seven. There were four buildings at that time, teaching was done in two sessions per day.  Then, in 1981, Ananda Balika Vidyalaya became a school that was conducted only in the morning. Currently, it has become a 1AB school in the classification of schools. Currently, there are 100 teaching staff and about 2000 girls are studying. Currently, there are 60 classes from grade 6-13. Ananda Balika Vidyalaya has become a school where girls study through English medium from grade 6 to 11 and study science, art and commerce streams in Advanced Level. 

Now Ananda Balika Vidyalaya has become a famous leading girls' school in Kotte.