'It's only right for the community': Parents of Maris Stella High boys on school to admit girls for the first time

For over 60 years, Maris Stella High School has always been known as a boys' school.

But that's going to change in 2027, when the primary school section will, for the first time, take in girls.

In an announcement on May 6, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that Maris Stella High (Primary) will be going co-educational in 2027.

Both the primary and secondary schools at Maris Stella's Mount Vernon campus will also be rebuilt from 2027 to 2029.

Speaking to AsiaOne, Ong Chin Kai, father of two, said that the primary school becoming co-ed was a fair decision.

"It's only right for the community, with new estates being built around the school, [for the school] to be inclusive...for everyone to get the opportunity to go to a school nearby," said the 45-year-old.

As an alumnus of both Maris Stella primary and secondary school, Ong added that although he cherishes the unique "boys' school experience" he had, it is up to future batches to create their own culture and atmosphere in the school as times are changing.

For Jared Lim, a father of six boys and one girl, the co-ed news is a welcome relief.

"I don't have to worry about where to send my daughter as she can join her brothers in Maris Stella High in 2030," said the 52-year-old, reported The Straits Times. 

Sherlyn Aw, mother of two boys in that school, felt that with the school going co-ed, it'll mean that the boys in the school can learn to communicate and interact with girls at a young age.

"In the working world, they need to be able to interact with both [boys and girls]," she told AsiaOne.

Founded in 1958, Maris Stella High School moved to its current Mount Vernon site in 1966.

ACS Primary to accept girls in 2030

Last February, MOE announced that Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) will be moving from its current Barker Road campus in Newton to Tengah come 2030.

The new ACS Primary will also accept girls from the same year for the first time.

Responding to a Parliamentary question last February, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said that all new schools that MOE opens are co-ed as opening a single-sex school would increase the chances of an imbalance in school places for boys and girls in the community, reported Today. 

Although there have been several cases over the decades in which a single-sex school became a co-ed, MOE said that it does not have a plan to proactively convert existing single-gender schools to co-ed schools. 

Schools that have switched from single sex to co-ed include Canossa Catholic Primary School, Geylang Methodist School (Primary) and Fairfield Methodist School (Primary).

ALSO READ: From Newton to Tengah: Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) to move campus, to accept girls for the first time

bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com