During a short span Jeilani Central has produced quality education
Jeilani Central College, Balangoda is the foremost Tamil Medium School in the Ratnapura District. This school with a short span of history provides quality education to a poverty stricken student population.
Jeilani Central College is the only Tamil Medium National School in the Ratnapura district with over 1300 students and 55 teachers. The present principal is Mr. M. H. M. Munas ( SLES1)
The History of the school goes back to 1931. It started with a few students in order to create the increasing demand for Tamil medium students. The official opening of the school is marked as 1934. Al - Haj C. L. M. Marikkar’s name is commemorated with great respect and is hailed as the founder of the school. The first principal was Mr. C. Ponniah. The school was taken over by the government in 1942. The school was developed into a Tamil medium mixed school in 1961 and was named Zahira Maha Vidyalaya. In 1968, the school received a playground, science lab, some buildings and a workshop with the assistance of the Education Ministry, parents and well- wishers. With the help of the former minister M. L. M. Abusali, Zahira M. V. was renamed as Jeilani Vidyalaya in 1975. The former principal and a former teacher of Royal College Colombo, Mr. S. A. Jabbaar is a legend in the school who brought Jeilani M. V. to the highest peak and reached the status as Jeilani Central College in 1985.
In 1994, the school celebrated its Diamond Jubilee as a “National School” under the patronage of W. J. M Lokubandara, the thenminister of Education, Cultural Af fairs and Indigenous Medicine.
Ratnapura is considered as a district which has a low educational growth in the Tamil medium sector. To overcome from this issue, the Jeilani Central College administration and staff devoted themselves to produce good academic records. As the result, in 2011, seven students got through the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination.
The remarkable feat of the school is was brought by the first batch of students who sat for their G. C. E.( O/ L) examination and brought credit to the school by getting appointed as the teachers to their own schools. Since then they have maintained very good academic records in G. C. E.( O/ L) examinations. The Advanced Level classes commenced in 1985 and they conduct classes in all streams. Since then they have excelled in G. C. E ( A/ L) results in the Ratnapura District. Through Science, Maths and Commerce streams, they were able to produce doctors, engineers and accountants with commendable records. In 2011 one of their student got 3 A’s at the G. C. E. ( A/ L) in the Arts stream and another two students got suf ficient marks to enter the Engineering Faculty. The first boys scout group was formed in 1964 under the guidance of Mr. S. M. Nazeer and they gained remarkable victories in All Island competitions. The former scout in- charge teacher Mr. S. M. Nazeer participated in the Pakistan National Jamboree in 1967 and was honoured by the former Pakistani President Ayub Khan.
Jeilani Central College has moulded so many sportsmen up to the national level and they have brought fame to the college. They have produced so many cricket and football players. In 2008 the school football team was placed 4th in the All Island Football Tournament, conducted by the School Football Federation of Sri Lanka. In 1963, the school gained the first athletic victory when Mas. M. T. M. Roomy became champion at the All Island Schools Athletic Meet.“Empower the citizens with knowledge, wisdom abilities and positive attitudes to face the challenges of the modern world” - This is the mission of the school.
The school Development society has taken bold moves to bring it on par with other schools in every field. It is evident that the principal with 30 years of teaching Experience has achieved good results in education and other fields in recent times with the help of hard working teachers, parents Old Boys and politicians of the area.
Sujitha Miranda