Introduction

St. Anthony’s High School, Wasalakotte, established in 1825, by late Rev. Father Jeranimo Michael, an Italian missionary priest, is a unique school with an enviable reputation.  Although the school was handed over to government administration in 1961, the close relationship with the nearby church, the National Shrine of St. Anthony, has not been affected.  Today, the school is attached to Galewela Education Office of the Central Province. 

There are about 400 students in classes from Grade 1 to 13.  In the Advanced Level classes only arts and commerce subjects are taught.  The majority of the students are Catholics from Wasalakotte, and the majority of the teachers are Buddhists from the neighboring villages. Most students come from farming families.  There is a large number of students whose mothers work abroad.  Also there are students who come from the orphanage attached to the shrine.  The staff consists of a principal, a deputy principal, 28 teachers, a financial assistant and an office assistant.

The facilities include a science laboratory, a computer unit, a library and an English Books Only library.  Although there are facilities for athletics, basketball, volleyball and netball only handball is taken seriously and dedicatedly by the students.  As a result, the school has been able to rock the school sports in Sri Lanka by winning many handball championships in 2012.