Ateneo de Manila Grade School breaks tradition: First female students join kindergarten, grade 1 after 165 years
Ateneo de Manila Grade School (AGS) welcomed girls into its kindergarten and grade 1 classes on August 1 for the first time in nearly 165 years.
The inaugural cohort includes 200 girls, with 72 in kindergarten and 128 in grade 1, as AGS transitions to full co-education by 2030.
The opening day saw over 2,900 students, both new and returning, gather on the AGS campus. School administrators and teachers wore colorful headdresses to support the youngest learners.
The school’s library mascot, Bibo, greeted students and posed for photos, adding a festive atmosphere to the event. The drum-pounding Blue Babble Band also energized the crowd, cheering on students from kindergarten to grade 6.
Classes at AGS were initially scheduled to begin on July 29, but the opening was postponed to August 1 due to the aftereffects of typhoon Carina, which impacted the community.
In a social media post, AGS announced the enrollment of the first female students, sharing a video of girls joining their classes.
The change is part of a broader initiative to implement a co-educational system across Ateneo’s basic education schools, which aims to increase access and diversity in education.
The full implementation plan began last school year and is expected to be completed by 2030.
A memorandum released in February 2023 outlined the transition to full co-education, supporting the goals of the Lux-in-Domino Strategic Plan.
The plan seeks to enhance the university’s student population and impact while providing female students access to Ateneo’s educational offerings.
The Manila campus first admitted female students in 2016 as part of the K to 12 program.
Founded in 1859 as Escuela Municipal de Manila, AGS originally served as an exclusive school for boys during the Spanish occupation. At that time, societal norms limited educational opportunities for women.
