BOARDING SCHOOLS VERSUS DAY SCHOOLS

Childhood, adolescence and the teenage period are collectively the most important period of one’s life. This is due to the fact that it is during this period of their lives that children receive an education and prepare for their future and the roles they want to play in society. Schools are where young people receive their formal education and there are two types of school: boarding schools and day schools. These two types of institution share some similarities but there are also some major differences.

Being educational institutions providing formal education, these two schools have the same goals. They aim to provide the students with the level and quality of education dictated by the ministry of education. It is this latter organization which sets the syllabi and determines the dates for the centralized tests. This being the case, students in both types of school follow the program determined by the higher authorities. The quality of teachers in both types of school are similar as well as they are required to have a teaching certificate obtained from the Education Faculty of a major university. The extracurricular activities such as sports and student clubs are also features that are shared by both types of school. It seems, therefore, that in terms of the basics, the differences between these types of school are negligible. However, this is not where the story ends.

The differences between boarding schools and day schools relate mainly to life style. Day schools, as the name implies, sends students home once lessons are over. They only take responsibility for the students’ formal education, not for anything that takes place after hours. Boarding schools, however, take charge of the rest of a student’s day as well: they provide three meals a day, make sure students enjoy a well balanced diet, monitor homework and provide assistance with any problems, arrange for leisure time and make sure students are safely tucked in in their dormitories come bed time. The students are allowed to go home at weekends and/or holidays to see their families. The opportunities for communal living provided by such schools also provide valuable social learning and enable students to acquire valuable life skills which will help them in their future life. It seems, therefore, that boarding schools provide a more all rounded education.

To sum up, day schools and boarding schools differ in terms of the aspects of life they have influence over. While the former only focus on formal education, the latter focus on social life, physical and psychological development as well. These two types of school appeal to different types of families with specific needs. Various personal and practical considerations weigh in when making a selection.