Short Essay on the Advantages of Co-education

Co-education is the education of boys and girls at the same institution. There has been a lot of debate on the subject
of co-education with orthodox members of society raising objections about girls and boys being free with each other
and growing up together in school. There was a time when it was believed that boys and girls should be taught in
separate institutions. In ancient gurukuls, there were only boys who were given education then. In spite of this,
women generally had good education in ancient India.

Co-education has many advantages. First of all, a common school for boys and girls reduces the burden on the
government to provide the state with more schools.

Secondly, a free exchange of ideas between boys and girls gives rise to a healthy relationship between the two sexes.
It can mean better discipline since in the presence of girls the boys will not talk irrelevantly or obscenely in
the class.
Had there been a distance between them, there would have been more of a scope for curiosity about the other sex
and that could sometimes lead the children to behave foolishly. A free interchange of ideas between them would
make them friends and good companions.

Studying together, boys and girls get a chance to learn about each other better. Girls are better at needle work, etc
and boys are usually better with electrical gadgets etc. While working at these activities together, both could learn
from each other and in fact help each other to become better at these.

When it comes to competing with one another in the field of academics, one realises that boys and girls are almost
the same in terms of potential and capability. This generates a mutual respect between them and they see each
other as human beings rather than specimens of some kind.

Co-education should be encouraged right from kindergarten so that children grow up with the right attitude towards
each other. Interaction of this kind can build more confidence in the minds of the children and they will never
hesitate before talking to someone of the opposite sex.

Although there are many schools in India where coeducation is not a practice and they are quite successful in the
long run, coeducational schools are becoming increasingly popular.