St. Joseph's College

St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10 - Wattala Branch is a reputed Catholic Private School situated in the suburbs of Colombo founded by His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, the Archbishop Emeritus in the year 1996. The school’s well-stabilized forward journey has proved promising future for all generations of children who will embrace it as their haven for education and life formation. At St. Joseph’s College, Wattala children are provided with a happy, caring and stimulating environment where they will recognize and achieve their fullest potential, so that they can make their best contribution to society.

The dedication and exhaustive commitment of the past and present Rectors and the tutorial staff, St. Joseph’s College, Wattala is growing from strength to strength. While the resources are concentrated day by day to be utilized totally for the development of teaching – learning process and extra-curricular activities, today it has become one of the leading schools in the Gampaha District.

The concept of the branch schools in the Archdiocese was initiated by the Most. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, the Archbishop Emeritus of Colombo. St. Joseph’s College, Wattala, was in fact the first branch school of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10. The school was initiated with 60 students in the year 1996 under the guidance of the first Rector, Late Rev. Dr. Stanley Abeysekera. Thereafter, a few buildings were constructed as the requirement arose.

The school was initiated in a plot of land of 8 acres donated by Ms. Esther Seneviratne, a Catholic from the Parish of Enderamulla. She donated this land in memory of her late husband Mr. Wilfred Seneviratne. Later, more land was added to the property with a donation made by the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa. The President’s donation of land to the school was 10 acres. The school’s property expanded with the help of all past Rectors. The school started flourishing very fast and attracted Catholics even from far ends of the diocese to get admission for their children.

Classes are conducted from Grade 1 to Grade 13. English medium was introduced in the year 2015. Presently, Rev. Fr. Prasad Niranjan Fernando works as the Rector of the College. Rev. Fr. Nilanga Rowel acts as the Deputy Principal. There are 1,469 students with 85 teachers serving in the staff.