Karandeniya Central College

Karandeniya Central College is a high school situated in Galle District of Southern Province of Sri Lanka.

The main building was declared open in 1953 by the Minister of Education M. D. Banda. The College is one of the early schools that offered science education in [[Sinhala language|Sinhalese]the language spoken by about 75% of Sri Lankans] in Sri Lanka. Two students qualified to enter the University of Ceylon in science in Sinhalese medium from the first batch of graduates, in 1961. They are now university professors ( Mangala de Silva and H.G.Nandadasa). The next batch produced one civil engineer - ( Buddhi/Buddhadasa Meegasdeniya who now

lives in Canada )who entered the University of Ceylon and later opted to accept the offer from the Education Department to enter Moscow University and one science graduate (Dhanasiri Silva). The third batch produced one engineer (M.K.N.Kumararatne) who studied at the University of Sri Lanka, one doctor (Nimal Jayaweera) who studied in East Germany and one science graduate (P.A.Jayawardena Yapa) who is an university professor now.

Thereafter hundreds of students got admission to various universities in Sri Lanka and abroad from the Sinhalese programme. At present it could become one of the best colleges in southern province. Generally it is providing more than 50 student for Sri Lanka Universities per year. Karandeniya Central College was established under the free education concept introduced by then Hon. Minister of Education Mr. C. W. W. Kannangara. This was one of the Fifty four Central Colleges established all over the Island under above program to groom under privileged people in very rural areas. This was a golden opportunity for the sons and daughters of farmers, Cinnemon cultivators and laborers. By staying true to the objective which it was established, large number of children entered the universities and found other avenues for transform themselves as better citizens. There are very special personalities who helped immensely for development of the College, Mr. T. D. Samarawera is one of such prestigious characters who became the principal of the College two times. He was one of the brilliant old boys of the College who was born in Karandeniya.