St. John's College, Jaffna

This article is about the private school in Jaffna, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. For other uses, see Saint John's College (disambiguation).

St. John's College யாழ் பரி யோவான் கல்லூரி
Address
Main Street, Chundikuli Jaffna, Jaffna District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka
Coordinates	9°39′27.90″N 80°01′36.90″E
Information
School type	Private 1AB
Motto	Lux in tenebris luce (Light shines in the darkness)
Denomination	Anglicanism
Founded	1823
Founder	Rev. Joseph Knight
School district	Jaffna Education Zone
Authority	Church of Ceylon
School number	1001029
Principal	Rev N. J. Gnanaponrajah
Vice Principal	S. Antonypillai P. Sriharan
Headteacher	D. J. Devathason
Teaching staff	95
Grades	1-13
Gender	Boys
Age range	5-18
Language	Tamil
School roll	2,166
Website	jaffnastjohnscollege.com
Knight block
C. E. Anandarajan block

St. John's College (SJC) (Tamil:சென். ஜோண்ஸ் கல்லூரி) is a boys private school in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1823 by British Anglican missionaries.^{[citation needed]}

History

The Nallur English Seminary was established in March 1823 by Rev. Joseph Knight of the Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church. The school had only 7 students and was located in Knight's bungalow. In 1845 the school was relocated to Chundikuli and renamed the Chundikuli Seminary. In the same year the Church Mission Society took over the old Portuguese St. John the Baptist church. In 1846 to school moved into a hall next to the church. The church was demolished in 1859 and replaced by the current church.^{[citation needed]}

The school was renamed St. John's College in 1891. The free education system was introduced by the government in 1945 but SJC chose to remain outside the system. In 1951 SJC joined the free education system. Most private schools in Ceylon were taken over by the government in 1960 but SJC chose to remain as a private and non-fee levying school.^{[citation needed]}

Overview

SJC has an area of 13 acres (53,000 m²). It has classes from year one up to the G.C.E. Advanced Level. It is one of the few private schools in Jaffna District. Though SJC was started by Christian missionaries, from its early days students from all religious groups — Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists - have studied there, although Christians have had preferential admissions in keeping with the founding principles of the school.^{[citation needed]}

SJC has a notable cricket match ("Big Match", also called the "Battle of the North") when thousands of cricket fans gather to watch the match against Jaffna Central College.^{[citation needed]}

The Old Boys Association, whose members are found around the world, has built many buildings at the college and has funded the purchase of computers, library books, lab equipment and sports materials.

Noted people

Further information: List of St. John's College, Jaffna people

See also

• Chundikuli Girls' College
• List of schools in Northern Province, Sri Lanka

References

• "Principal Events in the Past". St. John's College. http://www.jaffnastjohnscollege.com/Other%20Files/PRINCIPAL%20EVENTS%20IN%20THE%20HISTORY%20OF%20SJC.htm. 

External links

• JOHNIANS' SCOUT TROOP
• St. John's College
• Official OBA website
• Unofficial website of SJC Prefects' Guild
• உலகப் பரியோவான் கழுகுகள் கூடுமிடம்