KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA: The principal of a secondary school near here has been ordered to stop segregating male and female students.

Sabah Education Department director Normah Gagoh said she had directed the principal of SMK Tansau in Penampang to stop the practice immediately.

She said the department would be keeping close tabs on the school to ensure that the segregation of students would not recur.

"Being a co-educational school, the students from diverse backgrounds must interact to maintain multi-racial and multi-cultural unity."

She said the Education Ministry advocated integration of students in line with the first strategic thrust of the National Education Blueprint that focused on building a Malaysian nation.