DOES SEX MATTERS? - Single Sex Education

Hi there! It's me again, Allan. Today let me talk about "SEX". Sounds exciting right? Sit back, read and join me as we tackle Single Sex Education.

What is Single-Sex Education?

Is it an advantage or a disadvantage?

I've been to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for years and one thing that I've noticed and curious about is how local students have been separated in their schools. Here in the Middle East, Same-sex education is being practiced amongst local students in accordance with their religious principles that sexes act differently and should be separated. This is more practiced in Saudi Arabia where strict Islamic laws are being followed.

Here in the United Arab Emirates some schools especially on the other emirates like Al ain, Sharjah, and other remote areas are implementing same-sex education. Majority of these schools are operated by the Government.

What is Same-sex Education?

For me, same-sex education is a practice wherein schools imposed a separate education for male and female students. It can be different buildings, classes or institution for each gender. Here in Dubai, United Arab Emirates I observed that same-sex education is not strictly followed. Schools especially private sectors are now implementing mixed-sex education wherein both girls and boys are in just one class. Presence of single-sex schools is not that much felt here in Dubai although we know that in some Emirates there are schools who followed a single-sex format. They've provided different buildings and locations for boys and girls but in the same institution especially in Al ain, where I resided for two years before I transfer here in Dubai.

Let us a look back in history how Single-Sex Education started...

HISTORY

In the 19th century Western Europe, the most common way for girls to access education was at home, through private tutoring, and not through schools. This was especially the case in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which strongly resisted women's involvement in schools. By contrast, in the US, early feminists were successful in establishing women's educational institutions. Although these were different and considered inferior to men's institutions, they created nevertheless some of the first opportunities to formalized higher education for women in the Western World, with the Seven Sisters colleges offering unprecedented emancipation for women.

The pioneer Salem College of Winston-Salem, North Carolina was founded in 1772, originally established as a primary school, later becoming an academy (high school) and finally a college. The New England Female Medical College (1848) and the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (1850) were the first medical institutions in the world established to train women in medicine and offer them the M.D. degree.

During the 19th century, ideas about education started to change: modern ideas that defined education as a right, rather than as a privilege available only to a small elite, started to gain support in North America and Europe. As such, mass elementary education was introduced, and more and more coeducational schools were set up. Together with mass education, the practice of coeducation was universalized in many places. Increased secularization in the 20th century also contributed to the acceptance of mixed-sex education.

In 1917 coeducation was mandated in the Soviet Union. According to Cornelius Riordan, "By the end of the nineteenth century, coeducation was all but universal in American elementary and secondary public schools. And by the end of the 20th century, this was largely true across the world. In the UK, Australia, and Ireland the tradition of single-sex education remained quite strong until the 1960s. The 1960s and 1970s were a period of intense social changes, and during that era, many anti-discrimination laws were passed, such as the 1972 Title IX. Wiseman (2008) shows that by 2003, only a few countries across the globe have greater than one or two percent single-sex schools. But there are exceptions where the percent of single-sex schools exceeds 10 percent: Belgium, Chile, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, and most Muslim nations. Recently, however, there has been a resurgence of interest in single-sex schools in modern societies across the globe, both in the public and private sector."

What is the advantage of same-sex education?

There is a big argument between single-sex education and coeducational schools wherein those who believed that single-sex education brings positive results for the student's academic achievement. They are also stating some more advantages single-sex education gives.

It is seen that not only religious beliefs have benefited from this practice. It also decreases distraction to the student letting them focus more on their studies and not attracted or disturbed by their opposite sex's behavior, as we all know that male and female behaves differently.

Other advantages of a single-sex educational set up are reducing the chance of any students to be a stereotype person or simply racist or sexist, hanging around with friends of the same gender gives them the freedom to mingle without the feeling of being conscious or shy and it lets them know more about their classmates. With this set-up, Teachers can easily form a way of teaching targeting the specific gender assigned to them to teach

Although we hear and read many positive things a single-sex education can give, it is yet to be proven whether it is beneficial or not to the students.

What is the disadvantages of Single-sex Education?

I asked one of my friends, A teacher, She said that "In order for boys and girls to merely have a concrete of both sexes they should have a first-hand observation on how their opposite sex behave and react to a certain situation."

She added, "most cases girls have been taken advantage by a boy because they don't have a defense mechanism on how to deal with their opposite sex." As for how I understand her opinion she is against same-sex education. She believed that it is not necessary and only brings unawareness of both sexes to their opposite sex.

Some people find same-sex education brings negative output to all students. It can be a way for a student to develop sexism knowing that one gender never gets a chance to interact with opposite sex until they will start to think that one gender is better than the other.

In a period of time it could be hard for a student to interact with the mixed-sex environment they maybe find themselves as a different person in the outside world or unaware of everything that is happening when it regards to another person especially with opposite sex. When it comes to teachers, some teachers are not trained to handle a single-sex class. They may not have any strategy to address a direct approach to just single gender students.

Studies shows that boys mature slower than female. In a single-sex educational setup, they won't have a chance to be influenced by girls to mature as quickly as possible. It will limit their potential and find themselves afraid of making a big leap special during father time.

FINAL THOUGHTS!!!

Education is a precious foundation for our future, whether it is single-sex or mixed-sex education it doesn't matter as long as you gain something that brings you self development and knowledge that you can use for your career in the real world.

Single-sex education may have many advantage and disadvantages but the important is whatever may be our view about it we all need to study and use it not only to be a professional but also to be a person with good moral values.

---

Well, that's a wrap!! Thank you for stopping by and reading. Hope you enjoy it and learned something from it. Until next time. steem on!!!

---

CREDITS

HISTORY - Wikipedia
Photos - All photos unmarked are from me
- old 19th-century photos are from wikipedia
- Gulf International school, Saudi Arabia pixabay
- Thoughts photo pixabay

---

Consider casting your witness votes for @surpassinggoogle, @steemgigs, who have been adding an invaluable contribution to the community.
To cast your votes, just go to

https://steemit.com/~witnesses

---