Lyceum celebrates 20 today: inspiring dream – indomitable reality

‘To teach, on rapid wings, the curious soul

To roam from heaven to heaven, from pole to pole,

From thence to search the mystic cause of this

And follow knowledge to her secret springs.’

This was the dream, the desire, the dominant wish. It took form in the innermost thoughts of an extremely simple, modest individual, 20 years ago.

Today, that seed of an idea has transformed itself into a magnificent educational group of schools, the Lyceum Group of International Schools. From very humble beginnings comprising of one parent school at Nugegoda, this group now has arteries which spread from Nugegoda to Wattala, Kandana, Panadura, Gampaha, Ratnapura, Nuwara-Eliya and Anuradhapura.

The man of foresight and fortitude is none other than their Managing Director Mohan Lal Grero. In order to translate a dream into the language of reality, he had to traverse the thorniest paths possible. Yet he plodded on, learning how to focus on his main objectives, even in the midst of strife; to think logically at all times; to persevere without any complaint; to endure hatred without resentment; to fraternise without losing individuality; serve without compensation, commendation and recognition.

Service is the motto of his life and as the founder of the Lyceum Group of International Schools he plunged wholeheartedly into the task of spreading wisdom and knowledge among numerous children in the Island. At present, all the schools have a total student base of 15,400 and 2,000 staff members.

The Parent School was founded by its Managing Director Grero on 14 June 1993, and is situated at No. 3/1, Raymond Road, Nugegoda. It has a student population of 4,400 and a staff of 600.

The Lyceum International School Kandana branch commenced on 6 September 1999 and has a student population of over 330 and a staff of 42. The Panadura branch commenced on 3 May 2000 and now has a student population of 2,127 and a staff of 300.

The Wattala branch commenced on 3 September 2001 and now has a student population of 5,000 and a staff of 550. Ratnapura Branch commenced on 6 January 2005, now has a student population of 1,180 and a staff of 180.

The Gampaha branch commenced on 4 September 2006 now has a student population of 1,776 and staff of 250. Nuwara Eliya branch commenced on 1 April 2012 has a student population of 646 and staff of 100.

Starting its operations on 2 January 2013, the Anuradhapura branch has a student population of 26 and staff of 12. The name Lyceum comes from that of an ancient Athenian School founded by the Great Philosopher Aristotle in 335 BC in a grove sacred to ‘Apollo Lyceus’.

The Principal and Warden are in charge of the administration of the school, and act in liaison with the Coordinating Principal and the Managing Director. The panel of teachers is selected on the requirements of the school.

All teachers are qualified in their areas of instruction. Strong emphasis is laid on appropriate qualifications, teaching experience and continued staff development.

Each school is fully equipped with airy classrooms, air-conditioned State-of-the-art libraries and laboratories where students can pursue their academic goals in comfort. At Lyceum, the adage, ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body’ is introduced into the curriculum and this is facilitated by football fields, basketball courts, swimming pools, athletic tracks, tennis and badminton courts, volleyball courts, karate halls.

Other extra-curricular activities are scrabble, drama, debating and public-speaking which attract many young amateurs to learn the basic rubrics of these activities.

It has always been a strong belief of the school management, that what builds society is creative, inventive, vital activity and this is fuelled by integrity of mind and purpose, a spirit of tolerance and hard work.

In order to achieve this, the students need a very vital ingredient discipline. In Lyceum, it is clearly evident that even though students work and play together, bound by a dynamism and energy, there is a heightened sense of discipline and restraint in all activities.

There is a unique awakening of awareness in every heart. This has truly enriched our lives and very valuable moral lessons are taught and learnt.

Time marches on and the ‘family’ grows day by day, headed by Grero and his able wife, who is the Coordinating Principal. She is a lady of immense grace and nobility, who unites this ‘family’ with her gentle and courteous temperament.

Another extremely happy event was the appointment of Wenuri Hettiarachchi, a past student of Lyceum Nugegoda as the Principal of this very same institution. There are staff members, who have been with the school for over 18 years and have witnessed this school, which began with seven students and five teachers, bloom and blossom over the years.

Every year, everyday, every hour brings forth new horizons, new frontiers to be attained under the able guidance of Grero and Coordinating Principal. The students can always be galvanised into action and taste glory. In their own way, let them shed a tiny ray of hope, heralding the dawn of a brighter future for Sri Lanka.

Let us never forget

“True knowledge leads to love;

True dignity abides with him alone

Who, in the silent hour of inward thought,

Can still reverse himself,

In lowliness of heart.”