In 1921, Frederick Gordon Pearce (principal of Mahinda College, Galle), D.T.W. Rajapaksha Ralahami and Sir R.S.S. Gunawardana established the “Buddhists Society”. On 1 May 1923, the Buddhists Society opened a school named Parakramabhahu Vidyalaya, in a rented building on Main Street, Matara. Parakramabhahu Vidyalaya’s motto was “May I be a true Buddhist”. Hewabowalage Yasapala was the first student. Parakramabhahu Vidyalaya was shifted to the “Saram Mudali Walawwa” which was donated by C. A. Odiris de Silva, with the new name of “Rahula College”. C.A. Odiris de Silva’s second son C.A. Ariyathilake, who also donated Matara’s leading girls’ school Sujatha Vidyalaya, donated this school to the government.
The school has a student population exceeding 6000 across 13 grades from primary to secondary classes. The academic staff of more than 250 is led by Principal Samitha Kurukulasooriya since 2023.
