Canberra Grammar Goes Co-Ed; Is The Age Of 'Single Sex' Schools Coming To An End?

Revolution at the capital! Might Canberra’s schools soon be entirely co-educational?

It was revealed this week that all-boys private school Canberra Grammar would open its doors to female students for the first time in its 87-year-history. The move follows four decades of increased integration in the nation’s capital.

As the Canberra Times notes, there have been no new single-sex non-government schools established in the past forty years.

Some parents, however, were not too chill about the more inclusive strategy at Canberra Grammar.

Mina Sakai, mother to a twelve-year-old student, shared her concerns with the Times.

"For us it is like making a financial commitment to a dream car, only for the factory to suddenly tell you that model has been discontinued and you are getting a different car,” she said.

“We feel upset because we were not told about the change, and we were not asked what our opinion was."

Canberra Grammar principal Justin Garrick noted that Ms Sakai was just one of many parents unhappy about the decision.

"I understand it is a big change but as people have time to process some of their thoughts and feelings I am confident there will be understanding about the strategic reasons behind our decision,” he said.

Those reasons: "ensuring the school looks forward and continues to provide an educational experience that matches the realities of modern society, family life and the workforce.”

Marist College, one of the last remaining all-boys schools in an increasingly co-educational Canberra, reportedly enjoyed a spike in enrolment enquiries on Wednesday.

What say you? Should all schools go co-ed or is there a benefit to 'single sex' schooling?