125-Year-Old Boys’ School In Seremban Open Doors To Girls For The 1st Time
The school admitted 10 girls for this year’s new school session
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Today marks a special moment for one of the country’s oldest learning institutions when Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) St Paul, an all-boys school in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan began a new chapter by admitting 10 female students.
For the first time in the school’s 125-year history, its corridors will echo with the voices of young girls, as it welcomes its first batch of Year 1 students.
A posting shared by the school’s official Facebook page welcomed the “lil’ princesses” to their first day of the 2024 academic season.
Dr Mahadevan Deva Tata, the chairman of the school’s Board of Governors, expressed that the inclusion of female students has been a long-anticipated move to address the school’s dwindling student population over the last five years.
“Usually, there are over 100 Year One students, but for the past five years, it has decreased to about 70 students only. So, the former headmaster wanted us to do something because we didn’t want this school to close down due to a lack of students. We need to make changes before the situation worsens,” he said.
He also added that many of the parents, whose boys are studying at the school, also have daughters that they want to register for Years 2 and 3. But at the moment the registration is only open for Year 1 students.
Headmistress E. Margret stated that girls make up 10% of the 102 Year One students this year, but their percentage is expected to rise in the future.
She expressed the desire to improve their future success and stated that there are no objections from parents.
Renowned for being one of the oldest primary schools in the state of Darul Khusus, SK St Paul was founded in 1899. The school is recognised as one of Malaysia’s LaSallian learning institutions, which follows the educational philosophy and principles of St. John Baptist de La Salle, the patron saint of teachers.
John Baptist de La Salle’s congregation, sometimes referred to as the De La Salle Brothers movement, was said to have been established in France in 1680. The movement preached that schools and education were meant for everyone and not just for the wealthy. The first group of La Salle Brothers came to Penang, Malaysia, in 1852, and they opened St. Xavier’s Institution, the school’s first establishment.
Advantages of Co-education
The Greek philosopher Plato supported co-education, which encourages the instruction of men and women in the same institution without distinction and builds a sense of camaraderie.
This method assists students in gaining social and intellectual views, growing in self-assurance, and succeeding in both the workforce and post-secondary school.
According to research, co-educational schools help kids develop good self-images and the confidence that will make them future leaders by better preparing them for postsecondary education and the job.
Along with dispelling gender stereotypes, co-education gives pupils a varied network of friends, a basis for successful relationships, and exposure to both male and female role models. In the end, co-education produces young individuals who are flexible, well-rounded, and eager to try new things.
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