St. Peter’s College was established on June 2, 1903, under the pioneering initiative of Father Esric, a French national who was the Parish Priest of the Grand Street Church at that time.
This school, known in the town of Negombo as the “Kehelkan Kede” school, served as a nurturing haven providing education to the children of the underprivileged fishing community who spoke Sinhala. During that era, St. Mary’s College was reserved for English-speaking children, while the Wellaweediya School catered to Tamil-speaking children. The first principal of St. Peter’s College was Mr. H.M. Arse.
At its inception, the school comprised 33 students and 3 teachers and was also known as the ‘Vernacular Boys’ School’. Teachers Mr. Simiyon Anthony and Mr. Albert, along with the second principal, Mr. M. Valentine Fernando, formed the strong foundation of this small school.
Subsequently, principals such as Mr. Warnakulasuriya, Mr. S.J.R. Rodrigo, and Mr. Lionel de Silva took charge, developing and advancing the school. During this period, the student population of the school grew to 500, and the teaching staff expanded to 14. The administration of this government-assisted school was conducted under the guidance of the reverend priests.
The year 1967 was a pivotal milestone for this school. It was upgraded to a Mahā Vidyalaya by the then Minister of Education, Hon. I.M.R.A. Iriyagolla. On January 4, 1967, the Rev. Swanli Mallawa, who was appointed as the principal of the college, transformed this school into a disciplined institution with qualitative value. Support was received from Mr. D.E. Muhundiram, who served as the Education Officer of Negombo Education Office at the time, and from Parliamentarian Mr. Quintin Fernando, as well as from Rev. Anrswa and Rev. Raymond Peiris.
By providing the necessary physical resources for the school, Rev. Mallawa was able to bring honour and fame to the college. Furthermore, it should be remembered with honour that he worked to elevate St. Peter’s to a higher standard in the area within a period of 6 years.
Following that, the school was led by principals Mr. P.A.D. Aquinas, Mr. P.A.P. Nennis, Mr. Jayanath Mendis, Mr. D.C.E. Madurasinghe, and Mr. M.C.O. Fernando, who navigated various challenges through divine grace.
The tenure of Mr. John A. Fernando breathed new life into St. Peter’s. He systematically developed the physical resources, enhanced the religious environment, and strengthened parent-teacher relationships, providing the school with grand leadership.
Subsequently, Principal B.J. Perera built upon and carried forward the foundation laid by Mr. John A. Fernando.
With the appointment of Mr. H.M.S. Bandara as principal on January 1, 1991, St. Peter’s achieved unparalleled progress. During this period, physical resources expanded to include three-story buildings, hostels, science laboratories, construction in the primary section, an open bridge, a canteen, walls, fences, and toilets. The staff grew to around 90 teachers, and the student body expanded to approximately 3,000