SACKOBA – General Secretary’s Annual Report for The Year 2019/22

His Lordship the Bishop of Kandy, Rev. Fr. Prior, Rev. Fathers and my dear distinguished old boys ;

As the General Secretary of the St. Anthony’s College Old Boys’ Association let me present a brief report of our activities and the operations of the Association during the past few Years.

The Old Boys’ Association

The OBA Parent Body throughout the years have evolved from a mere social welfare club to a Government recognised institution directly involved in administration of the College. Government Circulars clearly instruct and recognise only one OBA as the official body representing the Old Boys of a Government School.
Thus the OBA Parent Body has 2 permanent seats in the “School Development Executive Committee” which is the sole Administrative Council headed by Rev. Fr. Principal taking decisions on Governing a Government School.

The SDEC comprises of The College Principal, 08 Staff Members, 08 Parents and the 02 members from the OBA Parent Body as per Government circulars. .

SACKOBA Parent Body has elected and appointed following two officials to represent the OBA in the School Development Executive Council.

Mr. Mark Stephen
Mr. Aruna Amunugama

Out of the 08 seats for Parents at the SDEC, SACKOBA Parent Body has elected following 02 Members with coordination of Non Old Boy Parents of College at the SDS Council to represent all Parents of College.

Please bear in Mind that out of the 2100 Students in College, the OBA represents only 25% of total students.
75% of students are of Non old Boy Parents. Following 02 OBA Members represent this 75% Parents of College.

Mr. G.A. Amodha Galgamuwa – General Secretary of the SDEC
Mr. Nalin Abeysooriya

The OBA Parent Body has following Branches, wings and Clubs under its wings which is coordinated through the Parent Body involving in specific administrative duties in managing day to day activities of our Alma Matter assisting Rev. Fr. Principal in Administering the College.

Local Branches ;

Colombo Branch – (Affiliated)
SACKOBA Defense Forces (Not Affiliated)

International Branches ;

Old Antonian Social Club Australian Branch Inc. (Affiliated)
SACKOBA UAE – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Branch (Affiliated)
SACKOBA Qatar Branch (Affiliated)
SACKOBA United Kingdom Branch (Affiliated)
SACOBA Canada Branch (Affiliated)
SACOBA Maldives Branch (Not Affiliated)

OLD ANTONIAN CRICKET WING

President : Anjelo Wijesuriya
Secretary : Samantha Siriwardhana
Treasurer : Zaharan Liyabdeen
OLD ANTONIAN RUGBY CLUB
President : Isuru Herath
Secretary : Gayan Abeykoon
Treasurer : Salinda Gunasinghe

ANTONIAN PAST SCOUTS ASSOCIATION

President : Prasad Mahakumara
Secretary : G.A. Amodha Galgamuwa
Treasurer : Aruna Ranasinghe

OLD ANTONIAN CHESS CLUB

President : Sajeewan Gamage
Secretary : G.A. Amodha Galgamuwa
Treasurer : Umesh Nanayakkarawasam

OLD ANTONIAN KARATE CLUB

President : Devapriya Yapa
Secretary : G.A. Amodha Galgamuwa
Treasurer : Dharshana Kumburegedara

ANTONIAN PAST INTERACTORS & DRAMATISTS CLUB

President : Rojean Bastian
Secretary : G.A. Amodha Galgamuwa
Treasurer : Tishan Pieris

ANTONIAN BADMINTON CLUB

ANTONIAN RUGBY BOARD

Chief Executive Officer : Isuru Herath
Chief Operating Officer : Arunda Ranasinghe
Chief Operating Officer : Salinda Gunasinghe

Old Antonian Hockey Club

SACKOBA Groups for active Groups of all age groups

Thus the SACKOBA has evolved to be an organisation with a network of sub organisations locally & Globally with a , Headquarters building including a souvenir shop in College Premises at the entrance and a SACKOBA Sports Club Building which includes a viewing gallery used by Old Antonians to enjoy watching matches played at College Grounds.

Thus managing such a hugely organised body require devoted old boys who need to be groomed step by step throughout a period of time experienced in working with the SDEC, SACKOBA Sub Committees, Branches, Clubs & Groups etc,…

Since 2019 the Current SACKOBA Central Council had to face many obstacles and unusual battles in assisting the College Administration and Rev. Fr. Principal due to many calamities, 2019 “Saharan’s terrorist attack, Catholic Churches and mostly the Lockdown in the Country due to the Pandemic.

Nevertheless the Central Council under the guidance of the Mr. Nath Weerakoon as the President had 13 physically attended council meetings up to date which were very well attended and productive.

Many other meetings of the Central Council and Sub Committee meetings were conducted online using zoom platform through out the pandemic period.

Enrolments:

Shanmuganathan Niroshan, Dilan Tudor, Sivaraj Kumar, P.K.K. Bandara Beligala, M. Lingeswarakumar, Gayan Jayasinghe, Tharange Ranatunge, Mohamed Suhaib, Mohamed Aiss, Samantha Wijendra, Amila S. Pinnaduwa, Nilantha Dinesh, Ishanka D. Weerakoon, Theeksha Gunasinghe, Geeshan S. Edirisinghe, Dharshan Vinith, Fazmeer Mohamend, Umesh T. Nanayakkarawasam, Suthanthiranthan Sudhanath, Muthuveeran Denish Nalinda, Mohamad Rafeek Rizlan Mohamad, Chinnappah Chandy Shane, Anston Cliff Chrishan Samuel, Nadarajah Kumareson, Sudharshana Ananda, Don Damithra Lenard Panditharathne, Esala Bandara Rajaguru, Munasinghe Arachchige Emesh Perera, Anton Chandra Kumar Christoper Surenkumar, Nadaraja Dinesh, Oscar Ernest, Sachith Nishan Nanayakkara, Kasun B.C. Ekanayake, Indrajith Bandara Sangakkara, L.G. Uduman Lebbe Mohamed Zeyaan, M. I. Mohamed Imran, A.R.M. Susantha Dinesh Somarathne, Abdul Basith Shahabdeen, Shane Iroshan Priyamal Fernando, Tharindu Yasas Gregory, Ranil P. Edirisooriya, Sajeewa Milange Bandara, Suresh Indika, Vimukthi Galaboda, Azeem Mohammadu, Najimudeen Saifullah, Mohammed Ashafque, Lal Jayasinghe, Buwaneka B. Wijethunga, Prasanna Jayamaha, Nagoda Liyanage Rukmal, E.B.M. Gayan Nilanka Ekanayake, Nirodha Sooriyabandara, Jude Randika Nauanamina Samuel, Ishara Uditha De Silva, Pandula Mahesh Chandratilake, Lakmal Isuru Dharmasena, Ranjan Baddegama, Julian Anthony Ronesh Raj, Sasika Vidhagdha Karunarathne, Sasika Vidhagdha Karunarathne, Hashir Majeed, Jawadeen Mohamed Fazludeen, Asanka Methpriya Bandara Kulathunge, Shanaka Kalum Prasanna Fernando, Mohamed Rafid Akbar Ali, Thushara Salinda Peter Samarakoon, Hiran Jeewamtha Weerasinghe, Tharaka Bandara Jayasooriya, Mohamed Siraj Kamaldeen, Haroon Mohamed Haneez, Vimukthi Prabath Dehigolle, Kaleel Mohamed Ejaz, Saweeka Fernando, Anjula Fernando, Chamunda M. B. Abeykoon, Mahesh Bandara Abeysinghe

CDC activities:

The CDC – “College Development Committee” has grown from strength to strength throughout the years. As you may recall, the CDC was formed as a proposal by the SACKOBA Parent Body with the intention of forming a forum which consists of all stakeholders of the College; OSB Congregation, OBA, College authorities and School Development Committee (SDC).

The SDC as explained above is the apex body of a government school as per Government Circulars represented by Parents, School’s academic staff and the SACKOBA Parent Body. As one would note, the CDC consists of all major stakeholders of the College and is proving to be a tower of strength in supporting the College.

The SACKOBA Headquarters, the Souvenir Shop and the SACKOBA Sports Club Building

The SACKOBA Headquarters and the Souvenir shop at the College entrance is rising tall brick by brick with generous donations of many Old Boys standing high as the pride of all Alumni.

The Souvenir shop is proving to be a one place where Old Boys as well as school children can purchase many items from stickers, Cloths, Books. badges to souvenirs and many more.

All affiliated Branches, Wings, Clubs and Groups has been offered the opportunity to sell any item through the SACKOBA Souvenir shop as fundraising projects for the respective bodies.

SACKOBA Colombo Branch:

As always, the Colombo branch is a pillar of huge strength to the Parent Body. The close rapport we have with our colleagues in Colombo continues to blossom with their involvement with the Parent Body through the CDC. Their presence in the CDC meetings are held every 3 month in Kandy.

Making a trip from Colombo to Kandy every 3 months warrants a special thanking to our devoted colleagues in Collombo. The activities carried out by the Colombo Branch is annexed to this report as presented by the Hony. General Secretary of the SACKOBA Colombo Branch.

Additional Grade 01 Class room to College increasing the Number of Children in College including Children of Old Boys

We have been working on getting the Approval for this project since 2019 under many obstructions. I am pleased to announce that the College Administration has promised to add an additional class starting from 2023 intake. This addition would mean more opportunities for your children to enter St. Anthony’s College and may be more importantly, more students to take part in sports and other activities. As of now the College has the required classrooms to house them till grade 5 and within the next 5years we will have to develop the required infrastructure in the upper school. I am sure with all your support we will be able to do the required developments in time.

Junior Committee:

At the 106th AGM, a resolution was passed to form a Junior Committee (JC) of the Parent Body. The objective of JC is to groom the next leadership for the SACKOBA Parent Body.

Its membership is open for the old boys who left college within the last 20 years.

I am happy to report that JC has attracted a set of very capable young old boys who are keen to give something back to their College.

As their first project the JC is launching a job bank for the school leavers. Thereby attract more young old boys towards the OBA while helping them shape their careers.

The Junior Committee has been involved in many projects for the College throughout the years.

SACKOBA Projects and Involvements :

The SACKOBA Parent Body Actively Participates in assisting the College Principal on Administration through following Committees and bodies.

SDEC – School Development Executive Committee
CDC – College Development Committee
Grade one Admission Interview Board
College Sports Council
Parent Committees in the Primary Department and the Upperschool
College Building Committee
SACKOBA Steering Committee of Assisted School
SACK Security Committee
SACK Vision 2023

Securing the College premises after the Saharan’s terrorist attack on Catholic churches ;

Highly Devoted Members of the SACKOBA Parent Body showed their love for their Alma Mater during this hard times by Patrolling the entire boundaries of the College day & night carrying torches and tea with biscuits for the security guards for several months.

A Security Committee was formed by Rev. Fr. Principal with the involvement of the SACKOBA Parent Body, which fenced the entire boundaries of College and placed security huts on necessary check points.
This was a period of hard times in which we could see the heartfelt affection and love of the members of the Central Council and their commitment in assisting and safeguarding the College.

Online Teaching During the COVID Pandemic Period ;

During the COVID Pandemic from 2020 March till now College had to face many obstacles in teaching our children through online platforms.

Through the intervention of the OBA Parent Body Initially we introduced zoom platform but eventually shifted to better platforms.

Thank you,
G.A. Amodha Galgamuwa
General Secretary – SACKOBA (Parent Body)