Segregation of Schools on the Basis of Gender Research Paper

Segregation of Schools on the Basis of Gender - Research Paper Example Smyth (47) observes that several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland, continue to have a sizeable number of single-sex schools, where boys and girls receive education at separate classrooms. However, some of the educational centers vehemently turn down any possibility for the mixing of genders at schools. Consequently, they recommend and enforce segmentation of the children on the basis of their gender. In few of the most developed countries, such as the UK, USA, Canada, and India, the students obtain learning classes under one roof without their segregation on a gender basis. The co-educated schooling is actually exercised on the foundation of the Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments as of 1972, which vehemently outlawed discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programmes receiving federal funds (Halpern et al.) Thus, the U.S. law absolutely rejects the possibility of segregating the schooling of the children in the light of their gender difference s. Theorists maintain different opinions about the co-education and segregated patterns of education for adolescents and young students. Some of the critics declare segregation of educational centers on gender basis as strictly against the norms, values, traditions, and customs which have been prevailing in the contemporary world for the last several decades. They also cite the example of the division of society on the basis of race, ethnicity, and religion, where people get their children admitted to the schools that belong to their own ethnic-racial background. They stick to the opinion that segregation of boys and girls at schools not only paves the way towards the further splitting up of the already divided society but also disables the young generation from comprehending the challenges they are to undergo as professionals in future. The supporters of co-education schooling declare segregation of the students on the basis of gender as strictly against the principles of gender eq uality. Since the statutes of law condemn the practicing of any ethnic, racial, religious or gender discrimination, depriving the children of getting admission into the schools of their choice is absolutely against the basic rights the Human Rights Charter bestows upon them. Since all boys and girls are free to enjoy their human rights and their potential as individuals in economic, socio-cultural, civil and public life, no law can forbid them to enter into the learning process of their choice altogether. In addition, since boys and girls are to become partners at domestic and career life, they have to be able to enter into decisions making in collaboration with one another so that to secure peace and harmony in their homes, communities, and societies. Schools have an important role to play in preparing girls and boys to listen and communicate effectively with each other in order to build this respectful partnership (UNESCO, 2007). Thus, since men and women are to perform all obliga tions and activities, in political, economic, social and cultural fields, they should learn to behave with each other under healthy and competitive environment principles.