CO -EDUCATION - GOOD OR BAD

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 distinction. This system of education aims
at bringing boys and girls together. It allows free mixing
 of sexes without any inhibition.

The great Greek philosopher, Plato had propagated the 
system of co-education in the ancient times. He believed 
that co-education will 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 advocated that it was the 
only method in which both could become useful members of the
 society.

Plato in reality was much influenced by the co-educational system of Sparta, a city of Greece. There the boys and girls were given both the academic and physical education together. The girls and 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 men.

In ancient India also, there was no segregation between boys and girls in the Aryan society. In the modern times, co-educational system is prevalent in Europe and USA. In India also, now-a-days more and more co-educational schools and colleges are being established.

Advantages of Co-Education

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 boys and girls. Co-education is an economical system, because both boys and girls can study in 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 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 girls. The boys will not indulge in in eve-teasing and the girls will bot be afraid of 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. On the other hand if boys and girls are taught in separate schools, boys misbehave with the girls. they boys always have a curiosity to know about them. But when they study together, their curiosity is satisfied and they do not consider girls as strange creatures.

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 boys and girls in the schools.  

Dis-advantages of Co-Education

Of course certain conservative people criticize the system of co-education. According to them, this system is against our tradition. They also fear that co-education will develop immoral relationships between boys and girls. They believe that in this system both the boys and girls will be spoilt. But these arguments do not hold much water.

The fact is that there are so many advantages of co-education when boys and girls have to live later on as husband and wife, there is no need of separating them in schools. Rather it will give them the opportunity to come close to each other and understand each other fully. We should not believe in the morality of the medieval ages. The world is changing fast today and women are being given an equal status with men in the society. Let us, therefore accept the changing order and open more and more co-educational institutions in future and say good bye to separate institutions.