SEPARATE SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1922, Page 6

SEPARATE SCHOOLS.

FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. WOMAN TEACHER’S OPINION, The separation of the boys and girls in the secondary schools was urged by representatives of the secondary school teachers in an interview with the Minister for Education on Wednesday. Miss Coad, who introduced the matter, said this was a question that affected women. She thought that the boys and girls over twelve years of age should be taught in separate schools. “I think it is reasonable to ask you to take into account the opinion of the women teachers and the women’s organisations,” said Miss Coad. “Our considered opinion is that it is much better to have separate schools for the boys and girls after the primary stage. Persistence in co-education in the secondary stage will deal a severe blow to the secondary system, because many parents will prefer to send their girls to private schools. No person ever suggests co-education in the private schools. Many parents object to it in the public secondary schools. I think that boys get on better with their work and their play in separate schools and so do the girls. Co-education is not practised in Britain and there is a reaction against it in the United States.” The Minister for Education (Mr. Parr) said his own feeling was rather against co-education, but the Americans were largely in favor of it. Miss Coad: There is a reaction against it. They are separating the sexes. The Minister: I think myself that it is better to separate them, but I am not going to express a final opinion without further consideration. Miss Coad added that New Zealander’s education system had to be adapted to local conditions, and it had to be admitted that the New Zealand children tended to be precocious. The teachers could get better results if the sexes were separated after the primary stage.