Labor in push to split the sexes in state high schools OFFERING CHOICES: A Queensland Labor proposal suggests some state high schools could be made single-sex schools. SINGLE-sex state high schools would be introduced to Queensland under Labor's first major education proposal. The plan - set to reignite debate about the merits of single-sex education - would force a shake-up of Queensland's high school system, challenging Independent and Catholic schools for students. State Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said the proposal was about giving parents choice. She said the idea had been mooted under the previous Labor government but it hadn't proceeded to a policy proposal stage. A discussion paper is to be released today. "It's time to examine whether parents should be offered greater choice," Ms Palaszczuk said. At the moment people don't have that choice and if they had that choice, would they actually think about sending their child to a single-sex high school? Enrolment numbers clearly show that many parents are seeing an advantage in having children attend a single-gender educational environment. Labor also believes that innovative solutions such as single-sex secondary schools may provide a new future for some schools experiencing declining enrolments, rather than facing the prospect of being closed and sold off. She said the single-sex proposal would only be introduced if it was accepted by the schools and local community. Ms Palaszczuk said now was the right time to discuss the proposal because of concerning enrolment figures. "Queensland parents have confidence in our state primary schools because 70 per cent of all students in the state are currently enrolled in state schools," she said. But in the Brisbane City Council area only 47.5 per cent of students chose state high schools, while 61.7 per cent did statewide, she said. The discussion paper, Options for single-sex state secondary schools in Queensland, asks numerous questions including whether the proposed schools should have selective entry measures or be open to all catchment students. Currently seven state primary schools run single sex classes in the Metropolitan region, while a number of state high schools run some, including Kedron State High School. Consultation on the discussion paper is open until August 26.