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INITIATION & HISTORY OF SCHOOL

Maliyadeva College which was established in 1888 in a small room in a building at Bodhiraja Street , Kurunegala by the Parama Vignanartha Buddhist Society in order to satisfy the urgent need of a Buddhist school was the labour room of Maliyadeva Balika. With the development as an educational institute,the school at Bodhiraja Street was shifted to Ethkanda Viharaya due to the inadequate space.Moreover its name was changed as “English Buddhist School” by 1909.

Youth Buddhist Society was formed in 1921 and thereafter this Buddhist English School was governed by it. In March 1943 it was shifted to Ethkanda Viharaya once again since the school premises was taken under the government for the military purposes in World War II.
As the need for a Buddhist Girls’ College had arisen Youth Buddhist Society took steps to give birth to Kurunegala Government Senior Girls’ School on 1st July 1946 with the pioneering of Mrs.C.V.E.Fernando,a school inspector, as the acting principal and contribution of two assistant teachers.

Initially the number of students was 69 and the primary section of the school was opened to both girls and boys since there were boys descended from the primary grades of Maliyadeva College at Negombo Road.

A photo of the thatched building where the Girls’ School was established.
Soon the name “Maliyadeva” was used to call the school.It is considered to be the name of the last Sri Lankan Thero Ven.Maliyadeva Thero. As it is believed that he lived in places around Kurunegala such as Panaliya, Wattarama and Puhuliya, the first Buddhist Girls’ School established in Kurunegala was named after him.
Initially, the classes were conducted in a half walled building sheltered by coconut fronds while the principal’s office and the hostel were in homely building. In 1941 this English Buddhist School was registered as a mixed school.