Sex-separated Education: Characteristics And Criticisms

Throughout history, we have been able to see how different aspects linked to living in society have evolved in different directions. Values, concepts, cultures, ways of seeing the world, philosophies or political systems have been born, modified and altered. The way of educating is no exception, generally moving towards an egalitarian educational practice that aims for everyone to have the same opportunities regardless of race, condition, age or sex.

With regard to the latter, currently in the majority of schools and educational institutions in our country, boys and girls receive quality education in centers where they are trained in mixed classrooms in which there is the presence of both sexes, let’s talk about from public or private institutions. However, There are still some schools that defend separate education by sex In this article we are going to analyze what this type of education is, what it defends and the existing positions on the matter.

Education separated by sex: what is it and what does it aim to do?

We call separate education by sex, also called differentiated education or segregated education, a type of educational model which is characterized by the defense of the provision of separate training of members of each sex In other words, we are faced with a model that implies that boys are educated with boys and girls with girls, without mixing in the classroom.

Formal education separated by sex is not a recent educational model, but rather appeared from the moment schooling began to be mandatory for both sexes. Even before compulsory schooling, there was a differentiated education, in the case of women focused on acquiring the culture and skills necessary to successfully perform domestic tasks. It would not be until 1783 that compulsory schooling for girls would begin in Spain, although with a differentiated curriculum focused on traditional gender roles.

This differentiation would be maintained through the various laws that emerged over time, forming male and female schools. In fact, mixed education did not appear in our country until 1901, although differences continued to exist and for the most part education would remain separated by sex. Likewise, the various historical events and dictatorships would mean a series of advances and setbacks in the search for mixed education In fact, until the General Education Law of 1970, curricular equality and real mixed schools would not be recognized.

Today, most of the West has left this model behind, using an educational model in which mixed education for boys and girls prevails. However, there are still different schools that maintain education separated by sex. Although in many cases we are faced with a paradigm that is followed in more traditionalist and religious schools, the truth is that sectors have also appeared that defend it from a perspective that claims to seek the highest level of development for both sexes.

Below we will see some of the points of view taken into account both for the positions in favor of this type of model and those of those who are against

Positions in favor of this type of education

Those who defend separate education by sex, who tend to call it differentiated education, propose that this type of education provides more educational possibilities and rely on the fact that it involves an educational model to which parents who wish to do so can subscribe

Another point that is usually added is the conception that with separate education, it is possible to make a differentiated assessment and action on specific problems of each sex and attend to the different pace of development presented by boys and girls. This could also make it easier for education to be more adjusted by adapting specific development rates, generating less school dropout and failure, and facilitating academic success by adapting education to the evolutionary particularities of each sex.

They propose that each sex sees its rate of development accepted and validated, in such a way that it is not restricted by the perception of differences with the other sex. Likewise, they also mention this type of education not as something sexist that seeks the submission of women to men but as a way to emancipate them.

It is also often stated that in mixed education a specific rhythm and way of acting towards all students is required, without taking into account the differences not only in development but also in ways of behaving It is considered that boys tend to be more energetic, competitive and driven while girls tend to have a higher level of discipline and verbal and emotional reasoning.

From this position it is also believed that it is common for many girls to feel uneasy due to the high level of agitation and activity of boys, while boys usually see that the level of biological maturation of their peers is greater than their own and they also feel It penalizes their activation level.

It has also been observed that in differentiated education there tends to be a lower level of eating disorders and body self-image problems, as well as lower levels of distraction on the part of both sexes.

Positions against segregation by sex

The positions opposed to education separated by sex, which They usually call it segregated education, maintain on the other hand that the separation of both sexes in different classrooms makes adaptation to the real world difficult. In fact, on a day-to-day basis, students live and work with people of both sexes on a continuous basis, and sex segregation in the school environment is something that makes it difficult for them to get used to working together.

Likewise, coeducation or mixed education implies the existence of equal opportunities between both sexes, being educated in the same way and with the same options. Segregated education implies limiting these options and the generation of two different classes of students, with not all students benefiting from the same education.

The validation of the possible differentiated levels of development may mean wrongly attributing a lower capacity to some or others in certain types of studies or learning. There is a risk of stereotyping students and also not taking into account individual differences within the same gender.

They also take into account that a large part of the differences classically attributed to sex differences actually stem from different ways of educating or considering the figure of men and women, and that the biological differences that do exist and seem to make it easier for some abilities to be easier to acquire and/or master by a certain sex are not greater than those existing between members of the same. With regard to individual differences, mixed education should take into account the particularities and specific needs of each student without considering that they are due solely to the biological sex with which they were born.

In addition, there would also be a positive effect at the value level. The fact of being educated together implies that boys and girls can develop attitudes such as acceptance of different perspectives and ways of doing things, promotes tolerance and facilitates the existence of respect and equality between men and women.

The actual situation

As we have seen, education separated by sex is a controversial educational model that has its defenders and detractors. In Spain, the Constitutional Court has recently determined that this educational model is constitutional and that can be paid for at the public level, offering itself to those families who wish to do so. This is not an isolated case: in different European countries (for example, the United Kingdom and France) and on the American continent (in Canada and the United States), this educational model is applied in different centers that are not necessarily privately owned. The same happens in Africa, South America, Asia and Australia.

However, currently this type of education continues to be rejected by a large part of the population and Western society, considering it a model based on traditional gender roles, which generates inequalities and differences between sexes, which is not very adaptive, not very representative of the real world and in which the lack of understanding and acceptance of differences and tolerance for diversity is facilitated.