Most single-sex schools here have a strong academic standing in Singapore.

Raffles Institution, Anglo-Chinese School, Methodist Girls' School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School, Victoria School, and Saint Joseph's Institution are just a few examples of such schools.

Single-sex schools have been around for a long time

Many single-sex schools also have a rich heritage behind them. Throughout Singapore's history, these schools have contributed much to the education of generations of Singaporeans.

Several of these schools also have a convent background.

For example, the CHIJ schools trace their roots to Father Jean-Marie Beurel, a French Roman-Catholic priest, who bought property along Bras Basah Road to open a school for girls, especially, unwanted girls. 

St Magaret's School similarly held benevolent aspirations in giving homeless and underprivileged girls an education.

Most single-sex schools have gone on to achieve 'elite school' status in the eyes of many Singaporean parents, but we are being continually assured that every school is a good school.

Singapore's Who's Who came from single-sex schools

Many notable or influential personalities in Singapore hail from single-sex schools. Halimah Yacob, Singapore's 8th president came from Singapore Chinese Girls' School.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong studied at Catholic High. Local songbird Kit Chan came from Raffles Girls' School. Former ambassador to the United Nations Tommy Koh once walked the halls of Raffles Institution.

Clearly, single-sex schools must be doing something right all these years.

Enter ST forum writer against single-sex schools

However, a Straits Times forum letter writer seems to think otherwise.

In his letter published on Nov. 25, he came out to appeal for MOE to do away with single sex schools because they "hinder students' ability to form proper relationships in adulthood".

Here it is reproduced in full:

It is time the Ministry of Education (MOE) considers doing away with single sex schools.

If schools are intended to prepare students for their lives, then they should be a good approximation of real life, which includes interaction with the opposite sex.

Single gender schools create gender disparity in the minds of students from a young age and do not foster socialisation skills. This could hinder students' ability to form proper relationships in adulthood. Such segregation could also be considered discriminatory and could give an impression of gender superiority.

Gender based schools will not benefit students in the long run. Students are exposed to only one world where everyone is the same and has the same points of view.

Mixed-gender schools open students to a greater variety of people, making them more prepared for the future.

We need to break down barriers of gender and not promote them.

Social interaction is part of a healthy lifestyle and researchers have found that separation hinders social development.

Now that seems rather harsh, considering what we've just mentioned about single-sex schools in Singapore.

Angry reactions

So naturally, many in the online realm, which included several ex-students of single-sex schools, weren't too pleased with the writer.

Some were outraged:

Others were a bit more collected:

While some were resigned:

Perhaps this letter writer should have a chat with his friends from single-sex schools before calling for them to be done away with.

Top image via Beacon Primary School.