Interesting observations as well as assertions were made by Mr Cheng Choon Fei in his letter (Mixed sports teams in schools good for boys and girls; May 8).

Unfortunately, the arguments are less than convincing because of a tendency towards a one-dimensional view of the issue.

This can also be said of many things we comment on.

In response to Mr Cheng's assertion that school sports teams should not be separated by gender, I would ask: Why not?

School-age children, especially in secondary schools, undergo massive physical and psychological changes due to their growth into adulthood.

Mixing them at this time adds to the challenges these young people are already handling - a critical dimension that the writer seems to have overlooked.

And I'm offering this developmental dimension to be considered in favour of separating school sports teams by gender.

Thomas Lee Hock Seng (Dr)