Single-sex schooling VS Co-ed schooling.

There has been much discussion over the pros and cons of having a single-sex secondary school or a co-ed secondary school. Indeed, there are many differences between these two types of schools, but I agree to a large extent that co-ed secondary schools would provide a fuller educational development rather than single-sex schools.

In my definition, a full educational development consists of not only the academic aspect, but the social aspect as well. What use is there if you excel academically, yet have a lack of social skills? This includes interaction especially with members of the opposite sex. Studying in a co-ed school would allow social skills to be picked up early which could prove to be a helping hand in the working world. Lack of social skills could present major problems later in life.

Yes, relationships would pose a great obstacle to achieving academic results, but look at the other side of the coin. Homosexuals in a co-ed school could almost never happen, next to nil. But in a single-sex school, I am quite certain that you have noticed certain individuals with strange behaviour. In a co-ed school, homosexuality can be heavily prevented because of the mix of males and females.

Also, students in a co-ed school would have an increased level of self-awareness, because of the impression they would want to generate, especially towards students of the opposite gender. This would improve their hygiene and behaviour and would definitely improve the learning environment, which could indirectly improve academic learning. People are more used to people of the same gender, thus may feel “bolder” to do things that they may never think of doing when they are with a member of the opposite gender. This in a co-ed school, with the increased level of self-awareness, chances of students in an unpredictable behaviour would definitely be reduced.

The increased competition to “impress” the opposite sex could also indirectly help academically and physically. Being more self-aware, and wanting to create this impression amongst people, they would want to be better than others academically or physically. Seeing this in a good way, they would study more if they want improved academic results instead of declining due to distractions of boy-girl relationships.

In conclusion, a co-ed school would provide a fuller educational development mainly because of the communication skills that it can be developed, especially between people of opposite genders. Relationships that occur only serve as motivation to improve themselves gradually which indirectly provides academic development, thus fulfilling the educational development which consists of academic results and social skills. Thus I feel that a co-ed school would provide a fuller educational development rather than a single-sex school.