Co-education means the teaching of both boys and
girls in the same school and under the same roof. It also means imparting the
same education to both the sexes without any distinctions. This system of education
aims at bringing boys and girls together.
The great Greek philosopher Plato had propagated
the system of co-education in the ancient times. He believed that co- education
xviii create a feeling of comradeship between boys and girls. Plato was a great
supporter of the education of women. Therefore he wanted them to be educated with
men in the same institutions. He felt that if men and women are taught
together, it will develop their personality to the maximum. They will not feel any
shyness from each other. He advocates that it was the only method in which both
could become use full members of the society.
Plato in realm was much influenced by the
co-educational system of Sparta. a city state of Greece. There the boys and
girls were given both the academic and the physical education together. The
girls and the boys studied and played together. They were both taught the art
of fighting, horse riding, archery etc. Thus the women of Sparta were not in
any inferior to the men.
In the modern times co-educational system is
prevalent in Europe and U.S.A. In Pakistan also now-a-days more and more co- educational
schools are being established.
There are many advantages and hardly any disadvantages.
In the co-educational system of education. The first advantage is that if boys
and girls are taught together, there will not be any need for opening separate
schools for girls. Pakistan is a poor country and it cannot afford to open
separate schools for the boys and girls, Co- education is an economical system.
Because both boys and girls can study in the same schools and they can be
taught by the same staff.
Secondly, boys and girls have to live together in
the society in their later lives and if they are taught together from the very
beginning, they can understand each other well. The girls will not feel shy in
the presence of the boys. The boys will also not tease the girls.
Again if they are taught together, it will create a
sense of healthy competition among them. In this manner they will work hard and
pay serious attention to their studies. A feeling of comradeship will also
develop between the boys and the girls. The boys will not indulge in
eve-teasing and the girls will not be afraid of the boys. Thus they will have a
balanced development of their personality.
It is also a common experience that the boys behave
decently in the company of girls. They do not use rough and abusive language in
the presence of girls. They also dress properly and talk mannerly. Similarly,
the girls will also lose their fear of the boys if they are taught with them.
Thus if co-education is introduced, there will be
no problem of discipline, among the students. In the western countries there is
no separation between the boys and the girls in the schools. The girls study
with the boys in the same schools and later on work with them in the same
offices and factories.
Of course certain conservative people criticize the
system of co-education. Accordant to them this system is against our traditions.
They also fear that co-education will develop immoral relationship between boys
and girls. They believe that in this system both the boys and girls will be
spoil t. But these arguments do not hold much water.
e tact is that there are so many advantages of
coeducation w hen boys and girls have to live later on as husband and wife;
there is no need of separating them in the schools. Rather it will give them
the opportunity to come close to each other and understand each other fully. In
short, we should not believe in the morality of the medieval ages. The world is
changing fast today and women are being give an equal status with men in the
society. Let us, therefore, accept that changing order and open more and more
co-educational institutions in future.