Pushing-in single-sex schools for enrichment of both enrolment and gender equity in STEM careers

Abstract

Abstract Background Quality education has been emphasized by the world Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) of the 17 goals the world set to achieve by 2030. According to the twenty-first century skills, quality education obliges to equip learners to compete in the twenty-first century job market. In addition to enriching enrolment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), leveraging of gender equity is indispensable. Objectives This study revealed and processed data to guide education policy maker’s decisions that could ensure quality education. Thus, the study shall lead to shape educational practices leading to achieve SDG4 timelines. Methodology The authors studied results of the Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (CSEE) of 52 coeducations and six single-sex secondary schools in Mbeya city. Out of 52 co-education secondary schools, the researchers selected the best six secondary schools in performance and compared those to the six single-sex secondary schools. Results The study revealed that, the six single-sex schools outperformed co-education schools. In addition, single-sex schools were richer of girls’ enrolment than coeducation schools in STEM education. Although, coeducation schools leveraged gender equity in STEM performance, but there was an acute drop of number of number of girls in coeducation schools. Conclusion This study calls for awareness and seek for more insights into the acute girl’s school dropouts in best-performing coeducation schools, review of educational policies so that the world achieves SDG4 by 2030. Therefore, the study wide-opens that though challenged by many, single-sex schools are decent and remains an addition to achieve the SDG4.

Keywords

• Quality education
• twenty-first century skills
• STEM education
• Mbeya city
• SDG$