Damien has been an all boys’ school for over half a century. However, they will start to accept girls into the school beginning next fall. Why? According to President Bernard Ho, Damien is looking to expand and reach others and offer a better educational value to more students (female).
“In order to expand our reach and offer this quality education to an even greater part of our Damien Ohana, we are proud to announce that Damien Memorial School will be accepting our first female students to the campus in the fall of 2012, starting with grades 6 to 9.”
I think it is a great thing that Damien is opening its doors to female students, however, I don’t feel that this is really the key reason that Damien will begin accepting female students next fall.
Damien – and several other all boys’ schools in Hawaii, has been feeling the financial crunch lately. With the economy continuing to tank, Damien was forced to look at another way to bring money into the school. The logical choice? Allow female students to apply and be accepted into the school.
It seems as though Damien really has no choice but to make this step. Sure, a nice video message was put together by the school president, but lets be honest, an all boy’s school doesn’t make a move like this unless it is needed.
I think this is a fantastic opportunity for female students, and more than likely more all boy’s schools on the island will begin to do this, especially if the economy continues to falter.
“This coeducational expansion of the student population allows us to offer our values-based academic opportunities to our daughters and sisters in Christ, something we have been asked about and have been considering for some time,” Ho went on to say in the school’s video message.
Whatever the reason, it should be interesting to see how many female applicants there will be for the fall term. Stay tuned.
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