ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CO-EDUCATION IN MUSLIM CULTURE (SUB-CONTINENT)

Dear Steeians, Co-education means the teaching of both boys and girls in the same institution to both the sexes without any distinctions. This system of education aims at bringing boys and girls together.

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 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 advocates that it was the only method in which both could become usefull members of the society.

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

In the modern times co-educational system is prevalent in Europe and U.S A. In Pakistan also now-a-days more and more co-educational schools are being established.

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 girls. Pakistan is a poor county and it cannot afford to open . separate schools for the boys and girls. Co-education is an economical system, because both boys and girls can study in the 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 the 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 the girls. The boys will not indulge in eve- teasing and the girls will not he afraid of the 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.

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 the boys and girls in the schools. The girls study with the boys in the same schools and later on work with them in the same offices and factories.

Of course certain -conservative people criticize the system of co-education. According to them this system is against our traditions. They also fear that co-education will develop immoral relationship 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 the schools. Rather it will give them the opportunity to come close to each miter and 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 that changing, order and open more and more co-educational institutions in future.