Co-Education

Co-education as a modern idea …. Difference of opinion about it …. Free mixing and its results ….. Dangers of co-education …. Social conditions …… climatic conditions …… some suggestions …… conclusion …..

Co-education has made a rapid progress in modern times. It was first introduced and adopted is Switzerland but now even the most backward countries of the world seem to favour this system. In western countries, like U.S.A, France and England co-education is very popular. In our country too co-education at the college stage is considered with favour, even by some leading educationists, and it seems. At present there is co-education only in a few colleges of our country. But, as the supporters of this system have very cleverly urged the commission on National Education to recommend it as a useful system for the people of this country, it is hoped that in the near future almost all the colleges of the country will adopt this system at all stages.
Opinions sharply differ on the introduction of co-education in the colleges and schools of our country. The supporters of this view plead in favour of co-education mainly on two grounds; one, economical, and the other, sociological. In the first place they tell us that co-education is an economic necessity in technical and vocational colleges, where it is not possible to have separate laboratories or workshops for boys and girls. Since a lot of money is required for setting up libraries, laboratories and workshops in vocational colleges, some people believe that it is a waste of money to maintain a double system of education, or to establish separate colleges for boys and girls.
The other point that they put forward with a still greater force, is concerning the social contacts which co-education provides for the two sexes. The supporters of co-education believe that if our young boys and girls are educated together, they shall develop a sort of mutual understanding, which may prove helpful in their future life as men and women.
These arguments of the supporters of co-education appear quite convincing at the first glance. But when we take into consideration the arguments that are put forward by those who oppose this system, we find that the demerits of co-education are more serious than its merits, and consequently, it is doubtful whether this system suits our society as fairly as it does in the west.
The opponents of co-education argue that in a country like ours, the system of co-education is not practicable because, physiologically, our boys and girls become young at an early age, and their consciousness of the sex is quite sharp when they reach the college stage. Under such conditions co-education may excite in them the sex urge and divert their attention away from their studies. We should also take into consideration the fact that our youths are more likely to. Mis-use the opportunity of free mixing, than to use it properly, if they are brought together by the system of co-education, it will upsell the whole society. Secondly, everyone knows that the aims of education for the two sexes in our country are quite different from those in the west. We believe in the segregation of sexes in every field of life. As the boys and girls of our society do not adopt similar careers in life, it is foolish to give them similar education. A as their needs are different from one another, it is false economy to introduce co-education in our colleges simply to save some money. Of course, co-education may be permitted only in those professional and science colleges where the goal of all the students is to specialize in the same field.
Lastly, the opponents of co-education ague that in a country like Pakistan where the number of colleges is very small as compared to the number of students desirous to get higher education, our classes are already overcrowded, and it is quite easy to have full-fledged colleges for boys and girls separately. Co-education can prove economical only in those countries where the number of students is very small. Thus, we find that the demerits of co-education are greater than its merits. And therefore, it is unwise to introduce the system of co-education in the colleges and professional institutions of Pakistan.