Rahula College () is one of Sri LankaâÂÂs leading and most prestigious boysâ schools, located in Matara district. Though it was originally a private Buddhist school, now it is run by the Government of Sri Lanka as a National School. Rahula College has two sections - the Primary section, which serves students from Grade 1 to Grade 5, and the Secondary section, which serves students from Grade 6 to Grade 13.
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.
Rahula College currently has over 4,000 students.
Rahula Primary is located in Welegoda. It was established in 1991, at the site of the former Sudarshana Model School. There are classes from grade 1 to grade 5.
The annual Rahula - Thomas football encounter or Battle of Golden Ensigns, is an annual football match played between Rahula College and St. Thomas' College, Matara.
In 2012 Rahula College and Dharmapala College commenced an annual match, the Battle of Golden Lions (). The inaugural match was held on Uyanwatta Stadium, with Rahula College hosting the event.
There are four student houses in the college, named after historical figures in South Asia. They are:
Alumni of Rahula College Matara are called Rahulians. Following is a list of some notable alumni: