Eng De: 3rd Ezah

Is Single Sex School better than Co-ed School?

Today, the motion is whether single sex school better than co-ed school or not. Our team believe that single sex school is better than co-ed school in the aspects of academic study, character build and therefore today’s motion stands.


Firstly, a boost in academic performance is seen in students studying in single sex school. According to the supporters and researchers of Single Sex, the single-sex format creates opportunities which don't exist in the coed classroom or schools. There are certain strategies which the teachers can employ all-girls classroom/school and in the all-boys classroom/school which are not effective in the coed environment. The evidence to it is the dramatic improvement in grades and test scores. In their findings, there is a boost in the performance of boys particularly in English and foreign languages as well as improvement in girls' performance in maths and science.


Moreover, single sex classrooms also benefit the teachers as they could easily match their instructional style to the behavioral characteristics of the students. Girls seem to favor learning in a quieter setting in which they work together and come to a consensus. Research shows that girls reap the most benefits from being together for math and science. They feel more comfortable about their abilities without worrying about how they appear to boys and gaining recognition from boys. In results, they have more opportunity to participate in class discussions and to voice out. While boys tend to favor a setting that is more competitive, physically active, and louder. Teachers of a class of boys will adopt a teaching approach that encourages boys’ tendencies during discussions to be direct and confrontational, loud and excited at times, and to interrupt each other as well as the teacher.

Secondly, students in single sex school are not required to live up to the stereotypes requirements. Boys tend to be less competitive in the absence of girls and become more collaborative in a single sex setting. They worry less about what the girls might think of them and be themselves. Boys who were not into sports did not feel exposed in single-sex classes. Such boys felt at ease and comfortable, that they did not experience bullying or aggressive behaviour from other boys, and that they were not intimidated by the atmosphere in 'All-Boys' schools. Activities like poetry and playing in an orchestra are not a taboo as opposed to a marching band. Whereas girls at single-sex schools were more inclined to take subjects such as advanced maths and physics which are traditionally considered as boy's domain. This is because they didn't faced criticism from boys because of their choice of subjects. This not only broke the stereotype attitude but also boosted the confidence in girls.

Thirdly, boys and girls in single-sex schools were more likely to be better behaved and to find learning more enjoyable and the curriculum more relevant as there were lesser distractions. Romantic relationships are comparatively easier to find in Co-ed schools, which further discourage academic pursuits and acts as a distraction to students. Students in single-sex schools have a significantly more positive attitude toward learning. The boys were able to focus on academics, and so were the girls. We have mentioned earlier that girls and boys can do better academically at single sex schools, the theory behind is that girls mature faster than boys, and it can be difficult for teachers to accommodate the large differences in cognitive, social and development growth rates of boys and girls aged between 12 and 16.


The second and third points would be further developed and explained by our teammates.
All in all, today’s motion must stand as single sex school benefits both teachers and students, and students’ whole personal development.




Notes for Reference:
Another areas favouring SS is discipline. In a certain study a switch to single-sex classrooms had a dramatic effect, instantly. Discipline referrals dropped from about 30 per day to just one or two per day. The change in the atmosphere happened overnight.

Another factor is that of Absenteeism. In case of SS it dropped from 20 percent before the switch to 7 percent.

Researchers found that students at single-sex schools had not only superior academic achievement, but also had higher educational aspirations, more confidence in their abilities, and a more positive attitude toward academics, than did students at coed high schools. And, girls at the single-sex schools had less stereotyped ideas about what women can and cannot do.

Graduates of single-sex schools were more likely to go to a prestigious college, and more likely to aspire to graduate school or professional school, than were graduates of coed schools. Girls tend to be more competitive in a singles sex setting as loose their shyness and begin to take risks. They openly participate in sports like field hockey and soccer with gusto without worrying about appearing like tom boys.

Another problematic area of Co-Ed schools is teenage pregnancy which is rampant in many parts of the world. Girls at such age are not ready for such physical and mental transformation. It burdens them with unnecessary responsibility which is a distraction from studies.