A 138-year-old school, New English School, Pune, was started by the Bal Gangadhar Tilak along with other freedom fighters. From the upcoming new academic session, the school has decided to break the gender stereotypes and will allow the admissions of the girls.
The school is run by the Deccan co-education society and was co-ed until 1936. Later on, the education society started another schools by the name Ahilyadevi High School, which was exclusively for the girls.
“Gone are the days when boys and girls were taught indifferent schools,” said Nagesh Mone, the newly appointed principal of the school.
"While growing up, the students should know that men and women are equal and in order to break the gender stereotypes, it is important to start co-education at the early stage of schooling so that a holistic and gender-neutral atmosphere can be created," he said.
He said that students who study in co-ed systems have mutual respect, high interaction and healthy competition.
"The students interact cautiously when they are together in co-ed schools. Some sort of power balance always works in the background, and it is also needed to enhance the overall quality of the education," Mone said.
As of now, 25 girls have taken the admission in the new academic session, which will begin soon.
The school management hopes that boys will embrace the change and will help in enhancing the standard of the education.