It gives me immense pleasure in penning down the words on our Alma Mater and praise and thank St. Joseph, our Patron from the bottom of my heart, for guiding and protecting us.
It has been always the motto of the College, to maintain Josephian excellence in body , mind and spirit. Priority has always been given to value based education to achieve ‘Excellence in Education’ thus promoting spiritual and human values , thereby producing good citizens possessing knowledge , skills and aptitude to serve the community in the public and private sectors , in professions and self employments besides to serve the motherland.
History
The College was founded in 1896 by French Missionaries lead by Rev. Fr. Christopher-Ernest Bonjean, which stands tall today as one of the leading Schools in Sri Lanka.
Eminent Archbishop Christopher Ernest Bonjean was instrumental in launching the ideal of the need for a Catholic College. He did not live to see his dream realised.
However, he had appointed for the project, men who knew his mind and his plan and were capable of implementing them. They were Eminent Rev. Fathers Charles Collin and Charles Lytton. Subsequently they became the First and the second Rectors of St.Joseph’s College.
Celebration
On March 2, 2023, St.Josephs’s College, Colombo 10, celebrated its 127 years of excellence in academic, sports, extracurricular activities and spiritual uplift and thereby producing a galaxy of multi-talented Josephians, who have created ideas that changed the way people learn, live, work and play for the betterment of our motherland and the world. But we believe the best of our abilities lies ahead of us. It is for this reason we constantly challenge ourselves in the process to break into new grounds of achievement and consolidate on our position to innovate, conceive and make glittering visions of impossibility a reality.
Secret of success
The distinguished pedagogues and the educators of this college, always strive to impart knowledge, instill values, inculcate positive attitudes, develop, sharpen and inspire young minds and transform young Josephians as multi-talented exemplary leaders and valuable citizens to our nation and the globe.
We are at a pivotal point in Josephians’ rich history. We are unusually indebted to all our Eminent Reverend Father Rectors, administrators and teachers who have inspired and guided us to be ideal Josephians and citizens of our motherland. Much of our accomplishments in our lives have come from our association with them.
We had the privilege of having “Education for Life” at our Alma Mater. Our teachers possessed positive teaching methodology, in-depth knowledge, skills, talents, innovative techniques, expertise, versatile experience and wisdom.
Hence, we were motivated to work to excel in education, sports and spiritual uplift besides for the value of peace, harmony, compassion, forgiveness, brotherhood and love.
We can best pay our debt to our Alma Mater by building a better future for new generations on the framework our forebears established.
Values
Values give direction to our behaviour, and put meaning to our existence. The values we hold blossom forth into action and shape our lives. Education forms, develops and re-shapes values. By the teaching of the national traditions, cultural heritage, and civic sense in the classroom situation, children learn how values are shaped. When the student learns to be obedient, diligent and conscientious, there is a genuine growth of values. Through curricular and co-curricular activities, the school must positively promote values. In the higher forms; through the literary associations, ’interact’ clubs and other societies, a democratic milieu must be fostered by group discussions and critical evaluation of facts.
The students must follow the “Triangle of duties”, in other words respect, obedience and responsibility (ROR) to fulfill the students’ motto to lead disciplined and successful lives in this challenging world.
The school must not only concern itself with a creative extension of knowledge, but be engaged in total quality development of personality.
The Josephians are humbled, honoured and privileged to have had the total quality development of personality by being the students of this sacred educational institute.
Recent achievements
In spite of several crises including the social, economic and political crises, 2022 was a resounding success for us in terms of excellent and outstanding performances in academic and sports affairs.
At the G.C.E (/L) and G.C.E (A/L) examinations held in 2021, there were significant achievements of students, thus maintaining the high standards in academic affairs at the college.
St.Joseph’s College, Colombo 10 was crowned with the awards of many championships in 2022, including the All-Island School Championships of basketball, football, table tennis, swimming (for the 17th consecutive year) and in rugby, became the runners up in the under 19 All-Island League Tournament and runners up in the President’s Trophy rugby knock out Tournament and in Hockey, became the runnersup in the Western province Inter school tournament. St. Joseph’s College produced three players to the under 19 World cup cricket tournament in 2022: Dunith Wellalage who captained the national under 19 cricket team and Sadeesh Jayawardena and Shevon Daniel.