'All trends to co-education9

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32959, 4 July 1972, Page 11

'All trends to co-education 9

Caution over the building of new single-sex high schools or the replacement of existing ones was urged in Christchurch at the wek-end by the president of the Post Primary’ Teachers’ Association (Mr T. C. Edmond) and the secretary’ (Mr P. W. Boag).

It was against all trends in New Zealand and overseas for secondary education to be given in a single-sex setting, said Mr Edmond.

Both men emphasised that before a new single-sex school was built or one was resited, the community which the school would eventually serve should be given every chance to express its opinion as to the desirability of continuing in the single-sex tradition.

In Wellington recently such an issue had been discussed by parents and the community had voted unanimously in favour of a coeducational unit. Co-education, said Mr Edmond, was more natural. Education was for a life in the community and this must benefit when the young studied and grew up together. They supported the idea of an up-to-date survey either regionally or nationally, to find the preference of the community.

“EQUALITY DENIED” Commenting on the controversy in Christchurch over the selection of pupils for high schools in the city next year, Mr Edmond said that it was clear P.P.T.A. policy to oppose selection on ability or attainment, because such selection denied equality of educational opportunity to all pupils. It encouraged the idea that there were schools of differ-

ent status, which resulted in detrimental effects on staff and pupils. The P.P.T.A., Mr Edmond said, accepted the principal of zoning. The nearness of a school to a pupil’s home, he said, should be the only basis for selection.

“Some schools practice selection by not providing some courses, but it is vital that all schools should offer courses covering the full range of pupils,” he said.