IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer 1:
The topic of whether boys and girls should be taught in mixed schools has been a contentious issue ever since the initiation of women’s rights movements. Some argue that the practice of teaching boys and girls in the same school should be upheld, while others refute this.  Both sides of this debate will be analysed in this essay before a reasoned conclusion is drawn.

In one camp, it is believed that educating boys and girls in a co-education system reaps numerous bounties. For example, most women rights activists contend that instructing males and females together enhances the understanding between the two genders. This equips members of both genders with the necessary skills which can later be transferred into their personal lives, and as result enjoy a higher degree of matrimonial bliss. Thus, it is clear why many people support the idea of co-education.

On the other hand, many consider the practice of educating girls and boys separately is best. For example, Saudi Arabia is often mocked for its conservative culture. Despite this, Saudi Arabia has one of the lowest rape and sexual assault rates in the world. One of the reasons cited for this is the segregation on the basis of gender in the educational institutes. When looking at this side of the debate, the benefits that are derived from separate schools for girls and boys can be seen.

Although both sides of this argument have indisputable virtues, it is felt that practice of educating male and female pupils in the same school is much more of a positive development than negative. Therefore, it is hoped that the trend of co-education schools will continue to be the norm the world over into the foreseeable future.

[ Written by - Sameed Qureshi ]

Sample Answer 2:
Nowadays, the co-educational system is considered as the best option in many countries. Some believe that it is better that young females and males study separately, while others mention that studying together can be more beneficial. I will discuss both sides and will give my opinion.

On the one hand, those believing that education systems should be a separate gender-based system have their own reasons. One is that this method can be safer. Every year, numerous sexual offences are reported by the local or national news, regarding of rape or other inappropriate sexual behaviours, especially in countries permitting both genders to study in one school. However, studying in single-gender-institutions can reduce the rate of these figures. As a prime example, thousands of sexual assaults are reported in the U.S. schools annually but had the government considered unisex education, these rates would have dramatically decreased. Another reason is that this system may raise religious conflicts. In some countries, some opponents are not interested in sending their children to these types of schools, and this has become hot potato between different religious groups. For instance, French Islamic citizens prefer their children to study in a single sex school, whereas the administration admits both genders in one educational place.

On the other hand, I personally give a green light to those supporting co-educational system. The first reason behind it is that this system definitely would be less costly. Clearly, to divide girls and boys, governments have to spend more money on education because they cannot use empty spaces of a female school for a male one, or vice versa. As a result, less educational facilities should be provided for scholars, declining the total education budget. Furthermore, this method can improve students’ communication skills. Obviously, having a better relationship with the opposite sex, juveniles will have a closer relationship not only during their study but during their matrimonial life. They generally have fewer marriage problems with their partner due to having a better experience before. In this way, Sigmund Freud, a very familiar former psychologist, believe that humans’ social skills are fundamentally developed as they have closer feelings to their opposite sex during childhood.

In conclusion, although in some countries co-educational system is not popular, I agree with it. Not only in this measure more governmental budget can be saved, but youth can have better relationships with the opposite gender. Hopefully, a global tendency will propagate this method of education in the near future.

[Written by - Rambod Taghaodi]