By Arabella Balderama

The Board of Trustees of Ateneo de Manila University approved the implementation of a full co-educational program in the Basic Education schools by the year 2029-2030, in response to the goal of the Lux-in-Domino Strategic Plan. 

In the said plan, the university seeks growth in its student population to promote “access to and impact of the Ateneo de Manila education”, specifically increasing student diversity by granting females the opportunity to learn in the institution’s grade school and junior high school.

A transitional period, beginning in the school year 2023-2024, is included in the implementation strategy; meanwhile, admissions for Kinder, Grade 1, and Grade 7 students will start in 2025.

The delegation of a communication plan, facilities, and infrastructure requirements, along with the co-educational system’s academic, formation, and capability development aspects, was assigned to the Vice President for Basic Education.

With this decision, the Board wraps up a six-month study and consultation period by the project team led by Fr. Joaquin Jose Mari C. Sumpaico.

The said project team was formed last 2022 to research on the full or staggered implementation of a co-educational set-up in the Ateneo de Manila Grade School and Junior High School, according to a memorandum released by the Office of the President in September.

Thumbnail from the Ateneo de Manila University