About - Defence Services College

LIFE AT DSC

History of Defence Services College

Defence Services College was gifted to the nation in 2007 under the visionary guidance of former President H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa and the then Secretary of Defence and Urban Development, later President H.E. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as an emblem of gratitude to the children of tri-forces and police war heroes.

Majestically sprawled across 4.5 hectares on Malay Street, Colombo 02, the college was primarily established to ease the challenges faced by tri-forces and police personnel regarding school admissions for their children.

Defence Services College was gifted to the nation on the instructions of the former President Hon. Mahinda Rajapakshe and under the guidance of the former Secretary of Defense and Urban Development Authority Hon. Gotabhaya Rajapakshe as an emblem of gratitude to the children of the war heroes in the tri-forces and police in 2007.

This college with a majestic look which in enclosure of 4.5 hectares in Malay Street, Colombo 02, was mainly established to ease the challenges encountered by the tri-forces and police personals with the regards to the admissions of their children to popular schools.

The land area of the school has a history of 148 years. It was the time that Sri Lanka was under the govern of the Dutch. Therefore Dutch architect designs can be seen in the present school buildings which have similarities with the Old Dutch buildings in Galle. The first building which was built in 1861 was the office of the governor of Sir Henry George Ward and later it was a army camp of Major General Dunham Massy in 1891. It was indicated in the carved granite which had been found in the reconstructions. Still it can be seen in the main building of our school.

After that this building has been used for many purposes and when the Sri Lanka Army was started this place was to intake the apprentices for the Sri Lanka Army Service later on Ministry of Education and Examination Department was established in this land. On account of that this land belongs to the historical grandeur of both Educational and Defense background and it is very much suitable to offer this land to build the Defence Services College than use it for any other purpose.

The land where the school stands carries a rich historical legacy spanning over a century, reflecting architectural influences reminiscent of the Old Dutch structures in Galle. The earliest recorded building, erected in 1861, served as an office during the tenure of British Governor Sir Henry George Ward, and by 1891, the premises served as a military station under Major General Dunham Massy—a fact commemorated on a carved granite inscription discovered during reconstructions and still preserved within the school’s main building.

Over the decades, the grounds served multiple national functions. With the formation of the Sri Lanka Army, the site served as an intake center for army apprentices, and later housed the Ministry of Education and the Department of Examinations. Blending a profound heritage in both education and national defence, this historic land stood as the most fitting location to establish Defence Services College.

The school was officially declared open on the 17th of January 2007, enrolling 172 students into Grade 1 alongside an academic staff of 8 teachers, under the guidance of its founding principal, Mrs. Sujatha Devendra. Today, the school is led by the incumbent principal, Mrs. Madhuka Fernando, supported by an academic staff exceeding 150 teachers and an administrative and operational staff of over 120 personnel. While academic affairs are overseen directly by the Ministry of Education, infrastructure development and maintenance are managed by the Ministry of Defence.

Over the years, the student body has expanded to more than 3,500 students. The college presented its inaugural batch of candidates for the G.C.E. Ordinary Level examination in 2017, followed by its first batch for the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination in 2020. Advanced Level curricula are actively conducted across all major streams, fully equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and guided by experienced educators. As a fully fledged National School with comprehensive amenities, Defence Services College continues its mission of nurturing well-rounded, resilient, and distinguished citizens who serve the world with pride, competence, and gratitude.

The school was declared open on the 17th of January 2007 by enrolling 172 students for grade 1 with the academic staff of 8 teachers under the guidance of Mrs. Sujatha Devendra as the first principal of the school. The present principal of DSC, Mrs.Fernando serves the school with the academic staff of 164 teachers and the administrative and maintenance staff of about 100 personals. While the academic studies are directly handled by the Ministry of Education, administrating infrastructure facilities is done by the Ministry of Defense. Today the student population of DSC is about 3450. The first batch of students of G.C.E (A/L) examination faced the examination for the first time in 2020. G.C.E (A/L) classes are in conduct in all four streams with well equipped laboratories and well experienced teachers.

Defence Services College which is a National School with all the amenities, is capable of overcoming all the obstacles in the journey of education and gifting sucessful personalities with a balanced mind to the universe with a sense of pride and gratitude.