Montfort Junior School to go co-ed in 2028, former minister & alumni Lim Boon Heng says move will 'benefit more in the community'

All-boys Montfort Junior School (MJS) will be transitioning to a co-educational model and welcoming its first cohort of female students in Primary 1 in January 2028.

The announcement was made at the school's 110th Founder's Day Ceremony on Apr. 25.

Speaking at the event, former Singapore minister Lim Boon Heng, who is also the Honorary President of Montfort Alumni and Chairman of the St Gabriel’s Foundation, said the decision reflects "a deliberate and long-term commitment to benefit more in the community, and ensure that Montfort continues to serve its mission well".

"We are living in a world that is changing more quickly each year. It is more connected, but also more complex," he said. "What we need is wisdom – the ability to listen, to understand different perspectives, and to act with empathy, sound judgement and moral courage."

Lim also drew on the school's history, noting that MJS operated as a co-educational institution when it was a Pre-University centre from 1961 to 1974.

In the late 1980s, there were also discussions about a potential merger with Hai Sing Girls' School that could have led to a similar shift, though those talks did not materialise.

"It allows the school to reach more youth, to serve more families, and to offer our values-based education and future-centric programmes to a wider group of students," he said of the transition.

"I can already see this legacy growing richer as more female members become part of our alumni and Montfortian community, helping to shape the school’s future."

Registration and admissions

Starting from the 2027 P1 Registration Exercise, younger female siblings of existing MJS students will be eligible under Phase 1.

Daughters of MJS alumni will also qualify for Phase 2A priority, with admissions subject to demand and vacancies.

Parents and alumni from both Montfort Junior and Secondary Schools were informed of the decision during a closed-door session on Mar. 4, ahead of the public announcement.

The school clarified that the move was not driven by any single factor, but rather reflects a "considered, long-term approach" to keeping Montfort "relevant, future-centric and aligned with its mission in shaping society.

"Going co-ed will allow the school to extend its reach to more families, while preserving its Catholic ethos and core traditions, the school said.

All academic programmes, co-curricular activities (CCAs) and signature programmes will continue, with adjustments made where necessary to support the new co-ed environment.

With regard to Montfort Secondary School, the school said St Gabriel’s Foundation, which oversees six schools including the Montfort schools, and the Ministry of Education are currently in talks on whether the school will also be shifting to a co-ed model.

Top photo from Google Maps and Montfort Junior School/Facebook