Co-Ed Schools: What it is and why should parents choose it for their child

What is a co-ed school?

Simply put, a co-ed or co-educational school is a school where both girls and boys study together in the same institution.

?Why send your child to a co-ed school?

When deciding on a school for their child, parents are often faced with a number of dilemmas. One such confusing choice is that of a co-ed school or a same-gender school for their child. Co-educational schools have their advantages, so let us begin by looking at some of the benefits of choosing a co-educational school.

Co-ed schools provide a sense of equality between the two genders, right from the early years of their childhood. The feeling of equality is ingrained in them since they study the same lessons, appear on the same tests, work on the same project topics, and are treated in the same manner as their opposite sex. It gives the successful students a sense of true accomplishment and puts a stop to baseless excuses like "girls are brighter than boys" and vice-versa. Moreover, it provides healthy competition for girls and boys to compete with each other and develop self-esteem and dignity.

Studying in a co-ed school reduces the chances of stereotyping. Girls and boys interact with each other and familiarize themselves with the reality of each other’s choices, tastes, behaviour, emotions, etc. rather than believing in the stereotypical representations of the opposite sex as projected by movies and social media. They are provided with a safe place to express their own individual thoughts and emotions without the fear of being labeled with misogynistic or misandrist terms.

Another extremely important point to ponder on is the inevitable development of a sense of curiosity regarding the opposite gender as they are growing up. Studying in an all-girls school or all-boys school creates an air of mysteriousness about the other gender and often leads to their minds diverting to other interests. Studying in a co-ed school somewhat eliminates this mysteriousness and helps them keep their focus on their educational goals and careers, while also inculcating a sense of mutual respect for each other.

Having said this, however, both co-ed schools, as well as same-gender schools, have their merits and so parents should weigh the pros and cons of both types of school and choose the one that is most suitable for their child. Each child is different and so are their needs. Thus, the priority of the parent should be to identify the needs of their child and select the school that would benefit their child the most.

This article has been written by –

Noella Lisa Gomes

Assistant Teacher (English)

St. Augustine’s Day School, Kolkata.