Single-sex schooling not good for boys: UK study

The findings were collated after studying a cohort of all those born in a single week in 1958, reported British newspaper,The Independent.

Men taught in boys’ schools are more likely to suffer from “a sense of malaise” or depression by their early 40s, possibly as a result of relationship breakdowns, according to the research results.

Men were also more likely to have spoken of a “dislike” for their school days if taught in a male-dominated environment.

Relating to opposite sex

As a result, Professor Diana Leonard’s findings have fuelled claims by teachers and education psychologists that boys brought up in a single-sex environment are less able to relate to the opposite sex than those taught in a co-educational school.

She will be presenting her findings at an education conference this week.

Mr Mike Younger, head of the education faculty at the University of Cambridge, told The Times of London that there has been a decrease in the numberof single-sex schools since early 1970s.

Ms Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: “All the research shows single-sex schools are good for girls but bad for boys – both in terms of academic performance and socialisation.

“Girls seem to learn what the nature of the beast is if they have been to single sex schools, whereas boys taught on their own seem to find girls more puzzling,” she said.

On a positive note, the research shows that boys from single-sex schools were just as likely to take part in household chores – such as cooking the evening meal, laundry, cleaning and shopping.

This article first appeared in The New Paper.