During my days in school, I remember we had a debate, and the topic was “The advantages and Disadvantages of Boarding School over Day school.” I was among the debaters that participated, researching and giving my intelligent reasons for choosing a boarding school. More so, I highlighted the merits and demerits.
Parents have always seen boarding schools as a place where they send their children for being stubborn or for other reasons. How does it feel to be on a border? What is the boarding school environment? Is it safe for you?
These are the questions going on in your head. It is normal to be a bit scared when going to a new environment.
The essence of this article is to give full details of the merits and demerits of boarding school to your child. If you are a parent considering boarding school as an option for your child, read this article thoroughly. You must understand the environment where you are taking your child and what is expected. This helps you to be prepared and make your final choice between day school or boarding school which is better.
More so, if you are a pupil who has just gotten admission into a boarding school, and you are trying to familiarize yourself with what you should expect. Then read it this article carefully. This will help you to be prepared.
Regardless of the purpose of your search, we will in full detail discuss the advantages and disadvantages of sending your child to a boarding school.
What is a Boarding School
According to popular definitions, a boarding school is an academic institution where the students live within the premises throughout their academic year.
However, they are entitled to some terminal breaks or holidays. This also stretches to the occasional visitation periods by their loved ones, friends, or parents.
Mostly, Boarding schools have this common practice of restricting your movements within and outside the school. They regulate everything that you do there. You have a time when you sleep, eat, read, attend lectures, exercise, and do your religious activities. They are highly regulated, and you must adhere to all of them. They have some individuals who enforce their rules of behaviour and practices.
The ownership of Boarding schools is common among individuals. That is why a majority of boarding schools have privacy rights. In comparison, others are owned by the government. Notwithstanding the broad ownership category, some private boarding schools are owned by churches (missionaries) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), while individuals are appointed sole proprietors.
History of Boarding School
Although boarding schools have existed for centuries, they became more popular during Colonial rule and expansion. That was when the British Empire built schools in different places to educate people on their culture and impact western education on them. The boarding school then was so popular because they did not practise private ownership then.
However, most recent times, boarding school is now widely accepted as one of the best places to raise a child academically. Some boarding schools are not affordable and are seen as meant for wealthy parents, while others are cheap- for the average homes. They are all boarding schools- an institution of learning outside your home.
Boarding school accommodates students from the basic level to the secondary school level. Students are made to participate in the activities of the school thoroughly. Some boarding schools owned by Catholic churches train students to become priests- if you wish to become one.
Let us list and explain the advantages and disadvantages of attending boarding school as a student for you below.
Please read it carefully so that you will make a good choice for your institution of learning. It has a lot of impacts to make on your life. Are you ready to leave your parents and loved ones? Stay alone?
Advantages of Boarding School
We must highlight the merits of attending a boarding school over a day school. The advantages of a boarding school include; It helps your child to be independent, it builds confidence, helps improve academic skills, and others.
1. It Helps the Child to be Independent
A boarding school is one of the best places to improve a child’s self-reliance. This is because when the child adheres to those strict rules over time, it becomes part of him. It becomes his culture and way of life.
The fact that the students in boarding school have a designated time to eat sleep, read, play, exercise, and everything else makes the child organized.
The child learns how to wash clothes and take care of himself early. Being independent is never an easy task to do in the academic field. One of the best ways to be independent is in boarding school. At that moment, you decide about your academics and friends and plan your life well.
Academic independence braces the student up in boarding school. The student understands that he will fail the exam if he does not study well. This is because examination malpractice is rarely practised in boarding schools. It is where you are taught how to be disciplined, independent, and self-reliant to face societal challenges when you are out of school.
So this is one of the high points of sending a child to a boarding school. They makes mistakes and learns from them at an early stage and they are organized and keeps to time, they also understands that everything in this world has a particular time, and time is precious.
2. Boarding School Builds Confidence and Development
Most times, it is students who went to a boarding school that appears to be more confident than those who attended day schools. This is because they learn how to do things themselves early in life.
They don’t have their families close to them to run and meet. If you have a task, you have to make sure you complete the job. They are always busy with different activities like art, technology, drama, web development, and several other things.
Hence, they find it easier to boost their intelligence and confidence in those areas. It also helps them discover their passion on time in any particular space in life. If you are an intelligent student who does not have confidence, then you won’t manifest your intelligence anywhere.
3. Boarding Schools are not over populated
Students in boarding have the advantage of being exposed to various activities. This helps them to grow mentally, physically, intellectually, and psychologically among their peers. One good thing is that boarding schools have a suitable environment for learning. The class size is minimal, and it aids student-teacher interaction in the class.
This cannot be likened to day school, where some classes are usually crowded. Student engages more actively in the class activities, answer questions, complete tasks, and grow in confidence.
More so, teachers have the opportunity to always look after every student in class to help them improve their performances in class.
This can only be done in a small-sized style where there is one-on-one interaction. It becomes easier to identify the problems or weaknesses of any of the students.
Boarding school has students of different breeds. There are people with different cultures, tribes, religious beliefs, and different behaviours. It helps your child to interact and maintain a good relationship with them. More so, balancing it and void conflicts make it a good option for students.
So you should find your child a reputable boarding school and enrol him in the school. Then watch your child grow in confidence and intelligence.
Disadvantages of Boarding School
1. High Rate of Immorality
This is a significant drawback and usually a discouraging factor in boarding school. The rate of immoral acts within the school premises is on the rise. You will find students engaging in hard drugs, sexual acts, cultism, and every other despicable act that society frowns at.
This is because they are young, and the teachers or school authorities do not have a comprehensive watch over their activities.
2. Malnourishment
This is another disadvantage of a boarding school. They do not pay keen attention to feeding the children with good food.
They have a poor cooking environment, and the student’s health is not attended to and they stick to a particular food time-table have to rely on their junk to help feed them properly.
3. A decline in Parents-child Relationship
As much as they have school visiting days, that is not enough to build the parent-child relationship. This is worse, especially when the child leaves for boarding school early.
The parents do not have the watch over their children to assist them and guide them make decisions in life.
Conclusion
These are the significant advantages and disadvantages of a boarding school. As much as you consider the benefits, you should also consider the weaknesses.
