Rotarians rejuvenate school

Madduma Bandara Vidyalaya was one school in Kandy which experienced a major development within a short period of time. With 69 students and 11 teachers, the school changed tremendously changing its name first; from ‘Bahirawakanda Vidyalaya’ to ‘Madduma Bandara Vidyalaya’.

Situated off the winding roads of Bahirawakanda, the school received the support of the Women Graduates Association and the Rotary Club of Kandy Metropolitan to change its appearance by repairing old buildings.

The Madduma Bandara Vidyalaya principal R.S. Karunaratne said new books, steel cupboards, whiteboards, equipment for laboratories and the primary section, home science facilities for girls and even uniforms for the students were provided at the cost of more than a million rupees by the Rotary Club of Kandy Metropolitan backed by its international partner the Rotary Club of Taipeh in Taiwan District 3480.

“The entire uniform, the shoes and socks and even the tie for the students were provided by them. Now, every student has two proper uniforms,” Mr. Karunaratne said. “Every child has a comfortable table and a chair now, something they didn’t have before,” he added.

The Principal said the children’s studies improved with the providing of facilities to them. “With better uniforms and nutritious food, the children come to school with some self-esteem,” he said. A senior teacher N.H. Sumanalatha said the school, with the support of the Rotary Club of Kandy Metropolitan, continuously provided the children with food.

“The examination results of the students were good after the children were provided with facilities. After 19 years, two of the children who sat for the scholarship examination passed with 172 marks and 156 marks. They could be rated with some of the best results in Kandy,” she said adding that even the students who sat for the GCE O/L passed creditably.

With the present principal’s interest to make the school environment pleasant, and the two organizations supporting the reconstruction of the buildings, the steps leading to the school have become a favourite place for the children to study. “The attendance at the school which was earlier very poor had increased to 90 per cent,” she said.

“We are having concerts and annual prize-givings as well which we didn’t have before” she said adding the Women Graduates Association practices the students for the play ‘Caucasian Chalk Circle’ to be performed in English. Though there are no dancing or music teachers specialized in handling concerts, the school teachers managed to stage one successfully,” Ms. Sumanalatha said.

Kandy Metropolitan Rotary Club president Joe Paiva said the parents of the children in the school were not so well off and that too had made the school to be neglected by the authorities. Club secretary Lucky Galwaduge, member Ruveni Wijeyatilake, Club finance director Sunil Wickramanayake and community service director Timothy Paldano worked on the project of developing Madduma Bandara Vidyalaya.