Mr. M. J. C. Fernando felt the need to start a Budhist school. He purchased seven acres of land where Moratu Maha Vidyalaya is situated now after mortgaging one of his rubber estates. He later summoned a few of his friends to his residence and formed the Sri Lanka Buddhist Society on May 11th 1924. with the idea of building a conference hall and a school for Buddhists land donated by him to the society.
With the support of the people of the area he was able to open the Buddhist Hall on 24th June, 1929 with the Governor Herbert J. Stanly, officiating. The foundation laying ceremony for the Moratu Maha Vidyalaya was also held on the same day
The building of the school came up very soon amidst many obstacles and was opened on 19th January, 1934 by Sir D. B. Jayathileka with 65 children on roll.
Before three months the student population rose to more than 250 and very soon the school became the most recognised Buddhist schoolof the area. With the coming up of the science laboratory and other facilities the school became a Senior Secondary School in 1935.
