I feel like Ateneo won't be the same anymore when it goes coed. If I have a son in the future, Ateneo will be off the list I have high regard for Ateneo GS & HS education pa naman. I wonder how this pushed through.

It's official: Ateneo De Manila High School will accept its first female students beginning school year 2016-2017, in line with the Loyola institution's reforms towards compliance with the national K-12 program.

In a memo addressed to the University Community on Friday, March 13, Ateneo University President Fr. Jett Villarin, SJ, broke news of a "landmark decision" - referring to the creation of a Senior High School - for Grades 11 and 12 - distinguished from the current high school structure for Grades 7 to 10.

The memo recalled that "at its meeting on 7 February 2015, the (Ateneo) Board of Trustees approved the opening of the Senior High School (SHS) in school year 2016-2017. The creation of the SHS is a milestone in our ongoing K-12 Basic Education Reform program. This completes the planned restructuring of our basic education program into six years of grade school and six years of high school. By schoolyear 2016-17, the Ateneo High School will then be composed of four years of junior high school (grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (grades 11 to 12)."

Fr. Villarin then added that "in school year 2016-2017, Ateneo de Manila will begin a senior high school that will be open to the incoming Ateneo grade 11 boys, plus 300 more students from other schools outside the Ateneo High School."

The 300 new entrants - "both boys and girls" - will be accepted "from public, parochial and select private schools all over the country."

The co-ed classes in Ateneo de Manila High will initially be limited to the new Senior High School program - that is, for Grades 11 and 12. "The Ateneo Grade School and the Junior High School remain to be exclusive schools for boys," the memo stressed.

The memo concluded: "In view of our desire to provide quality education and leadership formation for those coming mainly from the public school system, 100 scholarship grants will be offered in the Senior High School to academically gifted but financially challenged students."

Fr. Villarin said application requirements and other information will be announced in due time and posted on the Ateneo website (Ateneo de Manila University | Ateneo de Manila University).

Below is the transcript of the full memo from Fr. Villarin, dated March 13, 2015:

© Provided by InterAksyon
Memo to: The University Community

Subject: Opening of the Senior High School in SY 2016-2017

I am pleased to inform you of a landmark decision. At its meeting on 7 February 2015, the Board of Trustees approved the opening of the Senior High School (SHS) in school year 2016-2017.

The creation of the SHS is a milestone in our ongoing K-12 Basic Education Reform program. This completes the planned restructuring of our basic education program into six years of grade school and six years of high school. By schoolyear 2016-17, the Ateneo High School will then be composed of four years of junior high school (grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (grades 11 to 12).

Moreover, in school year 2016-2017, Ateneo de Manila will begin a senior high school that will be open to the incoming Ateneo grade 11 boys, plus 300 more students from other schools outside the Ateneo High School. The 300 additional new entrants, both boys and girls, will be chosen from public, parochial and select private schools all over the country. In view of our desire to provide quality education and leadership formation for those coming mainly from the public school system, 100 scholarship grants will be offered in the Senior High School to academically gifted but financially challenged students.

Application requirements and other information will be announced in due time and posted on the Ateneo website (www.ateneo.edu).Â

The co-ed nature of the Senior High School is part of preparation for college. I would like to assure the community, including our alumni, that the Ateneo Grade School and the Junior High School remain to be exclusive schools for boys.

Let us continue to pray to God for the grace of openness and courage as we make these crossings in our shared vocation to form our youth, the future of our nation and of the world.

ad majorem Dei gloriam,

Jose Ramon T Villarin SJ

President