Krakow may launch an experiment with single sex education in September under the hypothesis that co-ed scgools lower educational achievement.

The idea is being championed by a local councilor from the ruling Civic Platform. Malgorzata Jantos is citing studies of an Australian educational research society, which shows that youths who graduated from girls’ or boys’ schools score better at university. 

“I am open to this experiment, because it is common knowledge that boys develop differently than girls,” Janusz Zadlo, head of the municipal education section, told Gazeta Wyborcza.

Psychologist Elzbieta Piwowarska argues, however, that co-education is natural. There are differences between girls and boys but it’s better to eliminate rather than deepen them through separation, she says.

There are about 70 girls’ and boys’ schools in Poland, but the majority are lower seminaries for the clergy and sports schools.  (kk)