Single-sex “Pesantren” schools: Unravelling girls’ and boys’ peer connections and their impacts on wellbeing and learning outcomes.

Abstract

This study investigates the intricacies of single-sex education in Pesantren/ Indonesian Islamic boarding schools by examining student social interactions and their impacts on wellbeing and learning outcomes. Using a two-stage-stratified sample of 547 students in single-sex classrooms, notable disparities were revealed through Independent sample t-tests. Boys displayed lower academic achievement and higher incidences of verbal and cyberbullying compared to girls. Multigroup Path analysis emphasized the greater impacts of peer belonging and bullying on girls' wellbeing and learning outcomes in contrast to boys. Within male classrooms, differences in happiness and learning motivation based on age were observed, indicating heightened positive emotions and enthusiasm for learning among younger male students. The study uncovered intricate relationships between wellbeing and learning attitudes in both groups, highlighting their interconnected nature. These findings underscore the importance of fostering collaborative, supportive, and tailored educational environments in single-gender settings to effectively address gender-specific challenges and promote effective learning.