Why alumni resist co-ed schools

“It didn’t feel like mine anymore”

Do girls thrive in single-sex schools?

Why school history still matters

Do single-sex schools reinforce bias?

Finding balance in school life

Less prepared for real life?

“Eh bro, that’s really toxic”

Focus on curriculum quality

Close single-sex schools with low enrolment?

Over the last couple of years, several of Singapore’s well-known boys’ schools have opened their doors to girls.

The latest to join the list is Montfort Junior School. In March, it was announced that the primary school will become co-ed from 2028, while Montfort Secondary School will follow suit by 2034 or earlier.

As such announcements often do, it got people talking – about heritage, cultural identity, and what may be lost when single-sex schools go co-ed.

In this episode, I speak with a former deputy principal at Raffles Girls’ School, an academic from the National Institute of Education, and a mother of three boys who sits on two school boards and an alumni board.

With shrinking student numbers and competing demands for space, is there still a case for teaching boys and girls separately?

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:20 Why do alumni get upset when their schools go co-ed?

6:59 “It didn’t feel like it was mine anymore.”

10:05 How girls flourish in the single-sex school environment

15:56 Why a school’s history is powerful

17:57 Do single-sex schools reinforce gender stereotypes?

22:00 Finding balance in the school experience

24:00 Less prepared for the real world?

27:22 “Eh bro, that’s really toxic.”

31:34 Focus on quality curriculum

33:07 Shut down single-sex schools with falling enrolment?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

--

#tup #tuptrf

Over the last couple of years, several of Singapore&rsquo;s well-known boys&rsquo; schools have opened their doors to girls.
The latest to join the list is Montfort Junior School. In March, it was announced that the primary school will become co-ed from 2028, while Montfort Secondary School will follow suit by 2034 or earlier.
As such announcements often do, it got people talking &ndash; about heritage, cultural identity, and what may be lost when single-sex schools go co-ed.
In this episode, I speak with a former deputy principal at Raffles Girls&rsquo; School, an academic from the National Institute of Education, and a mother of three boys who sits on two school boards and an alumni board.
With shrinking student numbers and competing demands for space, is there still a case for teaching boys and girls separately?
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:20 Why do alumni get upset when their schools go co-ed?
6:59 &ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t feel like it was mine anymore.&rdquo;
10:05 How girls flourish in the single-sex school environment
15:56 Why a school&rsquo;s history is powerful
17:57 Do single-sex schools reinforce gender stereotypes?
22:00 Finding balance in the school experience
24:00 Less prepared for the real world?
27:22 &ldquo;Eh bro, that&rsquo;s really toxic.&rdquo;
31:34 Focus on quality curriculum
33:07 Shut down single-sex schools with falling enrolment?
Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha&rsquo;s articles:<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm"> https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: <a href="https://str.sg/8KNT">https://str.sg/8KNT</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim &amp; Natasha Liew
Executive producer: Danson Cheong&nbsp;
Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
--
#tup #tuptrf

Natasha and her guests unpack the latest current affairs, every Thursday.

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests. 

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producers: Danson Cheong

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.&nbsp;
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producers: Danson Cheong
Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media