Coeducation or separate education: Some ideas worth sharing

Coeducation means educating the children of both genders together at one place premises or classroom. Both have close interaction with each other and get a chance to talk and make friendship with each other. In most of the countries this aspect is not given a serious thought and coeducation is considered a normal activity. Some parents may consider it perfectly normal and may think it a chance for their children to understand the opposite gender well in time and may also feel it beneficial for future social life without giving a thought to its negative effects. In all European and American countries, it is normal and they find nothing wrong with the concept of coeducation. In comparison; as far as Asian countries are concerned, it is taken as a serious topic of concern; whether it should be opted for, or it may be avoided.

There may be some stages where coeducation is the only answer, but that is at higher level where students are getting professional education like medicine, engineering, soft and hardware engineering and like. It is considered in the Asian countries that at this level the students have developed a line of thought and goal in their life therefore it does not matter. That is why, at these levels, the coeducation is permitted; however, in several societies, it is still taken as inappropriate, due to which the girls are deprived from higher education, if no isolated option is available for them.

If we take the morals and believe in modesty and effeminate innocence then coeducation may be considered as undesirable. According to this school of thought, at younger stage when the mind is volatile and behaves on instincts, is dangerous to have coeducation. However, reviewing the global scenario, we get to know that there are more countries that have coeducation than those who have separated the two genders. If these countries are practicing the same mode, there might not have been any serious issues.

Another concern is shared on several forums that, coeducation does not provide any added benefit except it provides a fertile forum for mixing up and going astray. Although it is not a compulsion to have coeducation; separate schools can be set up each for boys and girls. It is only about the parents of girls who are more worried about their daughters. If a specific society is more conscious about these issues, I feel that considering from all social standards separate education is more appropriate.

We need not go into detailed discussion on the subject of coeducation; this discussion is based on useless arguments. However we know that free mixing up of boys and girls is not desirable in any society, disrespect of social, religious or moral values, if it is not monitored properly. It may stop immorality, however there is a need to form an environment with clear perceptions to stay away these acts while studying in coeducation. It is only that we need to beware of so called broad minded and liberal actors in the society, who have well thought plan to destroy the social values through the misuse of coeducation. The policy makers need be sensible and aware of social values and impact of coeducation, by applying systems and rules to avoid any inconvenience but maximize the positive impacts.

Coeducation has both plus points and disadvantages, however its positivity can be ensured through better policies and good strategies at the institutions. The administration of such institutions must pay attention to these issues, so that they could produce a generation, which is already prepared to meet the challenges in a mixed gender workplace.