Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 32 schools in the state have turned into co-educational institutions, shedding their gender-specific tags.
Of them, 25 became co-educational in the last two years. While five schools became mixed schools during the tenure of the first Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government, two opened the doors for students of both genders during the previous UDF government tenure.
Thiruvananthapuram district, with seven such institutions, tops the chart when it comes to the number of schools turning co-ed. Six schools in Kozhikode and five in Ernakulam have become mixed schools.
The single-gender schools started admitting both boys and girls following a dip in students’ strength. The institutions have to submit applications to the General Education department for a change in status based on the decision taken by the school PTA (Parents Teachers Association) and after obtaining the nod of the respective local bodies.
The department will give the go-ahead after considering the basic infrastructure facilities and also assessing how the same will affect the nearby public schools.