Boys learn differently from girls. That is an accepted fact. And some educators believe this is the way forward as the single-sex classes in co-educational schools offer the best of both worlds, as the learning experience is facilitated along with socialisation with the opposite sex.

Laurel Brent-Harris, national literacy coordinator of the Education Trans-formation Team, told The Gleaner that gender separation is being encouraged and is already in a few schools. "It is a good idea (and) it is catching on," she said.

Consultations with stakeholders are ongoing, The Gleaner learnt. Brent-Harris also pointed out that addressing differentiated instruction and the need to improve it were high on the ministry's agenda, as it is one of the critical targets of the National Literacy Plan.

Hyacinth Evans, professor of teacher education at the University of the West Indies' Institute of Education, believes gender separation should be expanded islandwide.

"This is definitely something that can be tried. However, schools do not have to wait for the ministry to make a general policy in this regard. Principals and teachers are expected to structure learning activities in ways that enhance the learning of all their students," Evans explained.

Both boys and girls produce better academic performances in single-sex schools, says Evans. The reasons given are the same. The climate of the classroom becomes more focused on the academic."

The polly ground experiment

Beverly Jobson-Grant, principal of Polly Ground Primary, reputedly the first co-ed school in recent record to employ the gender-separation tactic, told our news team that the initiative had its genesis in a genuine desire to help boys perform on par with their female counterparts.

"GSAT passes have improved considerably. Most of our students get their first choice. It was not so in earlier days," she explained.

Colin Blake, grade-six teacher and vice-principal of Polly Ground, said the separation, which started in 2003 with only the grade-six students, was now being employed at grade one.

Now, he says, the boys are performing better than ever: "The whole margin of difference in performance between boys and girls is not that wide again and their performance is almost equal."

Leoni Brown, acting principal of Jericho Primary, told The Gleaner that the gender separation was successful. "Boys need special attention. They function differently from girls," she said.

Brown believes this is the way forward as it facilitates the much-needed socialisation between the sexes and maximises the learning experience. She believes gender separation could work in secondary schools as well.

Paulette Stephenson, acting vice-principal at Jericho Primary, said the separation was now being done at grades three and six.