About Our School
Shaping young minds through quality education, discipline, and values.
Vembadi Girls’ High School summons a long chronicle with perceptible accomplishment among the schools in the Northern Province. It boasts a long history with rich grandeur. Methodist Missionaries, who arrived from England, initiated their service here to broaden the education by establishing an English School. This English School, called as The Weslyan Central School, was situated at the present Vembadi Premises. Later they felt the need to educate the girls in the Jaffna society. So they decided to start a school for girls. So, The Boys English School (Present Central College) was shifted to the adjoining premises. When we look back at the precedent history, there were several past principals who rendered their service to the school intensely. Our first principal was Mrs. Peter Percival in the year 1837.
The first National Principal was Ms.Mabel Thambiah. This school is endowed with the advantageous environment to the Jaffna Tamil women to come out from their cocoon life in the past. Every year it fabricates the cream of the crop in the society and many students cross the threshold of the university to master in the education in different fields. It is also considered to be one of the leading girls’ schools in Jaffna. The principal, teachers and students strive hard to get the eminence of the school. It guarantees with great pledge of many sky-scraping level people in Sri Lanka and all over the world. In the modern world, our students are spread everywhere in various designations. The 5S concepts have been introduced.
Mile Stone
1816 - 1836 | Jaffna English School (Boys’ school) was started on the present central college premises |
1883 | No. on roll – 112. Staff – 5. Salary scale for teachers – Head master Rs. 30/=, Trained Teacher Rs. 10/= and untrained teacher Rs. 1/= to Rs. 3/= |
1884 | School officially declared as the first “Girls boarding school” in the island |
1894 | First school picnic to Mandativu organized by Mrs. Trimmer. Weren’t those the good days? English class is formed to prepare girls for Cambridge local examination. School uniforms are planned at this time – white jacket and cloth for both pupils and teachers |
1896 | Miss. Stephenson returns from England, with a new school bell. Beginning of regimentation |
1899 | Vembadi blazes the trail. For the first time in the history of Jaffna, girls entered for the Junior Cambridge and the Calcutta Entrance Exams. NallammaTambu is the first successful candidate in the Junior Cambridge. Nallamma Williams Murugesu passes Calcutta Entrance Exam in the first class and obtains the Keshub Chandra Sen Prize for being the girl candidate who stood first in all India and Ceylon. Well done Vembadi |
1904 | First Old Girls Re-union held. First rumblings of the ‘Move Central’ cry heard – surprisingly enough supported by the boys as well. Govt insists that pupils should do Cambridge and London Exams and not Calcutta or Madras ones. Result – Tamil is now relegated to the back seat. |
1916 | March 13. Old Girls’ Association formed. |
1920 | Miss Lythe goes on furlough and for good. Miss Creedy, principal, she used to hang placards with ‘I can’ in all the classrooms. (This later becomes motto of Creedy House). First Head Girl appointed – Jane Thamotheram. |
1924 | Feb 7th Vembadi is made into a Secondary School. |
1925 | Publishing school magazine “The Torch Bearer” for the first time, with Miss Scowcroft as editor. Brownie Pack has organized. Literary Association is founded. Opening of Domestic Science Block. |
1942 Oct 14th | The principal attends the first convocation of the University of Ceylon in Colombo. |
1948 May 1st | School raised from Grade III to Grade II |
1949 Jan 17th | A Fourth House is created. Name: Scowcroft, Colour: Blue, Motto: Aim High – We expect great things of it. |
1952 Jan | School raised from Grade II to Grade I. Miss G. Vadivelu appointed Lower School Supervisor |
1962 | Vembadi was selected as the only “All Island School for Girls” in the North. The Senior P. T. Squad took part in the all Island P. T. Competition and came 2nd, winning the Asia Foundation Challenge Trophy. The “Ireson Block” is converted into the “Principal’s Bungalow”. Inauguration of the Hindu Association. Saraswathy Pooja is celebrated for the first time. |
1971 | Opening of Mabel Thambiah Hall by Dr. P. Udagama, Director General of the Education Department and Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education. |
1975 Dec | The first batch of students under the new educational reforms were inaugurated in 1972 sat the NCGE Exam. |
1984 | Vembadi reaches the coveted status of being made the First National School for Girls in the North. |
1985 | Year 6 is reintroduced at Vembadi |
1988 | June 28th & 29th “150th ANNIVERSARY Celebrations”. |
1997 | Mabel Thambiah hall was reconstructed and now the hall stands majestically |
2000 | Basketball court was constructed to promote the sports skills of our students. |
2007 | The playground had been renovated to enrich the physical skills of our students. Our students are trained here throughout the whole year. |
2008 | The Basketball court had been renovated. We always have good teams which scored several places in the competitions. |
2009 | Vembadi entrance gate had been renovated with grandeur elegance. It provides a majestic look to our school. Also a new Learning Centre has been attached with our students’ corner now. This centre promotes the skills of our students and also provides ample opportunities to practice in the life. |
2010 | New Staff Room with modern facilities constructed by the School Development Society. Two storied Block for library constructed under “Vadakin Vasantham” and it was declared open by Hon. Minister of Economic Development, Basil Rajapakse |
2011 | An audio visual room was set up and opened for effective teaching and learning process. This unit creates a very good environment which makes the teaching and learning process more meaningfully. Three computer laboratories were constructed for the benefits of our students who will face the future challenges in this fast moving world. Mrs. K. Ponnampalam Retired on September 12th and Mrs. R. Muthukumaran was appointed as Principal by the Provincial Director of Education on the same date. |
2012 | Mrs.Venuka Shanmukaratnam took over the duties as the Principal of this majestic educational institution on September 28th. |
2013 | “175th Anniversary Celebrations “Our founder Rev.Peter Percival’s statue was sculptured on 29th June, 2013 by the Art and Design Teachers of school. The foundation for Mahindodaya Laboratory construction was put up by Northern Provincial director of Education Mr. V. Selvarajah on 14.11.2013. Technology stream was introduced as a new stream in our school. Secured the 1st rank in G.C.E(O/L) among Tamil schools and 4th rank in the National Level. Secured eight places among the top ten in G.C.E (A/L) results in commerce stream in the district level. |
2015 | 27thFeb - Opened Mahindodaya Technical Laboratory. |
2015 | 27thFeb - Opened Mahindodaya Technical Laboratory |
2015 | 26th of May Honorable President of our country Maithiripala Sirisena visited our school |
2015 | 21st of November The foundation for New Modern Toilets construction was put up. |
2016 | The New Modern Toilets were opened for functioning. The Students Parliament System was introduced. The Technical Laboratory was started for practical activities of Technology students.1st rank in G.C.E (A/L) among Tamil schools. The all house batches & Class monitor batch were introduced for all students and all houses. |
2017 | Constructed new cycle park for staff in front of the basketball court. ‘Makilakam’ was opened for students counseling. Gym Room was handed over to the sports union for physical fitness of the students. |
2018 | Our student Miss.Miruthy Sureshkumar obtained the first rank in all Island level among the Tamil medium students and second rank among all students in all Island level. It has been created a milestone to our school. Totally 212 students were sat the G.C.E (O/L) examination in 2017 and we gained 100% pass. |
2019 | Fund was released under “Kambareliya project” for the renovation of the playground and renovation/ construction of the toilets. Foundation was laid for the administration unit by NSBS. |
2020 | Precautious measures were taken to control Covid-19 in school. Class Viber groups were formed by all class teachers. They managed to join all the students, subject teachers and supervisors including the Principal. Online teaching learning process was carried out through various ways. |
2021 | MS-steam Platform was organized to setup virtual Classrooms. Teaching learning through MS-team was conducted in a systematic way. |
2022 | A set of furniture (200 desks and chairs) for the A/L students. About three million was contributed by the PPA (1982 batch) and another set consists of 40 desks and chairs were donated by a parent. According to the circular PPA was formed by having the principal as the president. Essential needs regarding building renovation, new building and new construction followed by demolition were put forward to the attention of Ministry of Education |
2023 | Our student Aksheya Anandasayanan brought great honor to our school by her outstanding achievement at the G.C.E O/L examination 2022 (2023). She secured the second place at the National level and topped the Tamil medium schools of the country. We the school society is very much delighted to congratulate her and the other 115 students who obtained 9As. Further we applaud all the students who sat for the G.C.E O/L examination 2022(2023) and helped the school to attain 100 percent pass. |
2024 | 113 students who obtained 9As. Further we applaud all the students who sat for the G.C.E O/L examination 2023(2024) and helped the school to attain 100 percent pass |
2025 | Another new era to our school. Respected Miss.Grace Devadayalini Thevarajah (SLEAS I) has assumed her duties as the principle of our school. 120 students who obtained 9As. Further we applaud all the students who sat for the G.C.E O/L examination 2024(2025) and helped the school to attain 100 percent pass. |