Boarding School 101: What is Boarding

School?
 ANDI ATKINSON
 APRIL 21, 2016
 ADVANTAGES OF MILITARY SCHOOLS AND BOARDING SCHOOLS

Boarding School 101:

What is a Boarding School?
Boarding schools are residential private schools, which means students live at school during the
academic year. They resemble colleges in that students live in dorms or residence halls, but they
primarily serve secondary school students. A boarding school’s main goal is to provide a
learning community where students can concentrate on their studies, mature and reach their full
potential.

Whether you must send your teenager to boarding school for work-related reasons or simply
want your child to receive the best education possible, read on to learn about the different types
of boarding schools in the United States.

Two Main Categories of Boarding School: Therapeutic &

College Prep
 There are two main categories of boarding schools: therapeutic and college preparatory (or
college prep).

The mission of therapeutic boarding schools is to provide a nurturing setting and the mental tools
and support young people need to overcome self-destructive behavior

The mission of college-prep boarding schools is just that: college preparation. Students who
attend these schools must complete a curriculum that meets college admissions requirements. 
These schools offer high-level courses, such as Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment
classes, so students can gain the knowledge, work ethic and study habits required for college.

The majority of boarding schools are college prep, so the remainder of this article will focus on
the three main college prep models and their educational advantages.

 Three Types of College Prep Boarding Schools: Religious,

Military & General
 Military Boarding Schools

Military boarding schools maintain a structured and disciplined environment, and they teach
students about leadership. A military boarding school is ideal for boys or girls who are intelligent
but unmotivated. Students who attend these schools are not expected to enlist in the military; on
the contrary, they are expected to attend college.

Because they are good at turning around youth with low grades or poor attitudes, military
schools are often misperceived by some as “boot camps” or “reform schools,” but these schools
do not accept very troubled teens or those with criminal records.

Religious Boarding Schools

Religious boarding schools normally teach students about a particular religion and encourage
them to practice it in their lives. A religious boarding school is best suited for a boy or girl who
comes from a strong, faith-based household or seeks a spiritual direction. Students who graduate
from these schools are also expected to go to college and are not pressured to enter the ministry
field.

General Boarding Schools

Unlike military or religious boarding schools, general boarding schools do not stray from the
core academic curriculum. They are similar to the best public schools except for the large student
population. A general boarding school is usually best for a high achieving student with a very
clear college and/or career goal.

Co-Ed or Single-gender

With college-prep boarding schools, you also have the option of choosing one that is co-
educational (or co-ed) or single-gender.

Though girls and boys live in different halls in most co-ed schools, they still take classes
together. Co-ed schools believe their environment mirrors the “real world,” a place where men
and women compete with each other and work together.
Single-gender schools believe students can better concentrate on their studies if the opposite sex
is not there to distract them. Pressure to impress the opposite sex may also keep students from
asking or answering questions in class.

There are pros and cons to both options, but most parents will know which setting is best for
their teenager.

The Benefits of Boarding School

 Safer Environment

Boarding schools do a good job of filtering out the negative influences that are seen too often in
public schools, such as violence and drugs. Overall, these schools have strong security and
checks in place to offer students a safer learning environment.

Distraction-free Environment

Boarding schools often limit the distracting technology teens encounter at school and at home.
Marine Military Academy, for instance, only allows cadets to watch television, play video games
and use their cell phones on the weekends. Policies will differ, but these schools commonly set a
clear structure to keep the students focused on their studies.

Small Classes

Boarding schools historically maintain small classes to help students achieve academic success.
Students stand a greater chance at excelling when the student-to-teacher ratio is low. With fewer
students, teachers can spend more time working with students individually.

Built-in Learning Community

Boarding school students have a built-in learning community in their dorm or residence hall and
can easily gather for study groups. Help is always nearby because they can easily find tutors or
study pals in their own “home.”

Self-reliance

Because they must rely on themselves, boarding school students learn to become organized and
prepared. These teens are very independent and mature when they graduate high school and have
an easy time transitioning to college.

Character Development

Nearly all boarding schools place a strong emphasis on character and try to instill values of
honesty, respect, and hard work. Boarding school graduates are known to carry themselves with
integrity and dignity.
 Lifelong Friends

Most people make lifelong friends at boarding school. They form strong bonds with their
classmates as they go through the same educational journey.

Learn More
To learn more about the benefits of boarding school read:

The Benefits of Boarding School

How Military Boarding Schools Help Build Good Character
Boarding Schools, Not Just for Troubled Teens
Military Boarding School Can Help Good Boys with Bad Grades
Why International Students Should Attend an American Boarding School
Letting Go, 7 Coping Tips When Your Child is Away at Boarding School

Interested in learning more about Texas boarding schools? Visit these resources:

Boarding Schools in Texas: Why Boarding School

Boarding Schools in Texas: How to Choose the Right One
Texas Boarding School’s Missions
Five Good Reasons to Choose a Texas Boarding School
Boarding Schools in Texas: A Map

To learn more about choosing a boarding school read our guide A Parent’s Guide to Boarding
School or  Boarding School 101 What is Boarding School.

Marine Military Academy is an all boy military boarding school located in Harlingen, Texas.

Share On:

 Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

 Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
 Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

 PREVIOUS POSTBoarding Schools: Not Just for Troubled Teens

NEXT POSTBuilding Good Character in Teens, and Why It Matters

Related Posts

Emotional Intelligence: A Look At Social-Emotional Learning

 February 5, 2021
 How Military School Motivates Teens to Succeed
 April 30, 2019

Advantages of Boarding School

 March 21, 2019
Marine Military Academy | 320 Iwo Jima Blvd., Harlingen, TX 78550
TEL: 956.423.6006 | Email: [email protected]
Marine Military Academy is a college-preparatory boarding school for young men in grades 7-12
with an optional post-graduate year. Since 1965, MMA is the only private school in the world
based on the traditions and values of the U.S. Marine Corps. Located in Harlingen, Texas, MMA
has been home to thousands of sons from across the world and is quarters to the historic Iwo
Jima Monument.
Marine Military Academy does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, or national origin.
Copyright © 2022 Marine Military Academy Blog
ABSTRACT

The study examined the effects of boarding and de-boarding on the academic performance of senior secondary
school students in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State. The quasi experimental design was adopted for
this study. The target sample comprised of 48 with comparable ability and comprised of boys and girls between the
age range of 16-28 and 16 teachers of Government Secondary School Wase (boarding) and Government Secondary
School Ilirim in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State. The instruments were used for the study namely;
Secondary School Teachers Questionnaire (SSTQ) and the average mean scores of secondary school students in
the first term examination. The instrument is made up of 9 items and it consists of 8-items which formed the main part
of the questionnaire. it is designed along a 5-point Likers type scale; ranging from Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A),
Undecided (U), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD).  The questions were meant to elicit responses on the
effects of boarding and de-boarding on the academic performance of senior secondary school students in Wase
Local Government Area of Plateau State. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide
the study. The research questions were answered using simple percentage (%) while means and t –test was used in
analyzing the hypotheses. Among the major findings of the study are; The study revealed that boarding school
students usually have enough time to study than day students; Students in both day and boarding schools are easily
distracted from media (electronic and print). ICT devices, peer influence etc. are the major causes of academic
failure; There is no significant difference between no significant difference in the mean score performance of boarders
and day students; the study revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean score performance of male
boarders and day students etc.  It was however recommended that Boarding as well as day schools should employ
the services of guidance counselors to cater the career needs of students; parents as well as teachers should limit
students exposure to the media (electronic or prints) and all communication gadgets that usually cause distractions
from educational activities. It is also recommend.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

            Secondary school level is the bridge between the primary and tertiary levels. The importance of
secondary education as outlined by the federal government stated that the broad aim of secondary
education is preparation for useful living within the society and for higher education. The underlying
principle here is that the secondary schools should be able to provide quality secondary education to all
those who can benefit from it. (Federal Ministry of Education, 2004)

            Students’ academic achievement is greatly affected by the area in which a student’s lives. Reasons
for the variations in achievement are geographic locations, resources, availability of technology and quality
of teachers. The National Education Association (2013) asserts that the low performance of students in
schools is becoming alarming and needs to be addressed.  However, in some cases the type of school
affects the academic performance of students.

            Nigerian secondary schools are a combination of boarding and de-boarding (day) students. Boarding
students are students that reside in the schools while day students usually come to school every morning to
receive lectures and hereafter return to their homes after school session. However, the debate on the most
appropriate or suitable for students is still on and has not reached a consensus. Some schools of thought
maintain that the de-boarding is better than boarding schools and vice-versa. 

            Recent research has shown that secondary schools are not living up to expectation in discharging its
obligations. Omoregie (2005) lamented the products of today’s secondary system can neither usefully live in
the society nor move into higher institution without their parents’ aid or forgery. It must be stressed that
education cannot be an instrument par excellence for achieving national development where the secondary
education is not effectively managed to accomplish its aims and objectives.

            According to Ajayi (2002) and Omoregie (2005), secondary education in Nigeria is riddled with crises
of various dimensions and magnitude all of which combine to suggest that the system is at crossroad. This
crisis usually affects the academic performance of students in the schools thereby the aims and objectives
of secondary education are not being attained. It is based on this background that the study seeks to
determine the effects of boarding and de-boarding on the academic performance of senior secondary school
students in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

1.2      STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

            There has been a decline in the general academic performance of senior secondary school students
in Nigeria. The poor achievement of students in science and arts subjects is very discouraging. According to
Okeke (1997), the teaching of science concepts to pupils have over the years posed a challenge to teachers.
The author observed that the poor performance is unfortunate and largely due to the methodology employed
by many teachers, type or nature school, school location and also school type affects the performance of
students in secondary schools.

             Most importantly, the type of school either a boarding or day school usually affects the students’
performance.  Students in day and boarding school perform poorly in the West African Senior School
Certificate Examinations. Following this trend, these students often experience challenges in gaining
admission into tertiary institutions for further studies. In the light of the above statement, the researcher
intends to provide empirical evidence on the effects of boarding and de-boarding on the academic
performance of senior secondary school students in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

1.3    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

            The aim of this study is to examine the effects of boarding and de-boarding on the academic
performance of senior secondary school students in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Specifically, the study intends to achieve the following objectives.

1.      To ascertain the nature and cause of poor academic performance of senior secondary school students.

2.      To identify the extent to which boarding school affects the academic performance of senior secondary
school students.

3.      To determine the extent to which de-boarding affects the academic performance of senior secondary
school

4.      To determine if a difference exists  between mean performance of boarders and day male students

5.      To ascertain the difference between mean performances of boarders and day male students

6.      To ascertain the difference between mean performances of boarders and day female students

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

      The following questions will serve as a guide to the study.

1.      What are the causes of poor academic performance of senior secondary school students?

2.      To what extent does boarding school affects the academic performance of senior secondary school
students.

3.      To what extent does de-boarding affects the academic performance of senior secondary school

1.5      RESEARCH THPOTHESES

      The following hypotheses to be tested are formulated thus.

Ho1 There is no significant difference in the mean score performance of boarders and day students
Ho2 There is no significant difference in difference between mean performances of male boarders and day
students

Ho3There is no significant difference between mean performances of female boarding and day students

1.6     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

             It is expected that the findings of this research will be of great benefit to the newly developed
geography curricular designed for students with visual impairment.  The following persons with visual
impairment will benefit from the findings of this study:

1.      The findings of this study will enable the National Council on Education (NCE) to that appropriate
school systems (day and/or boarding) are encourages in the public and private sectors in the society.

2.      It is expected that the findings of this research study will be of benefit to school administrators to
ensure appropriate and proven practices that will ensure improvement in academic performance of students.

3.      Curriculum developers will use the findings of this study to develop new programmes and subjects into
the school curriculum that will benefit all students irrespective of the system of school they attend e.g.
boarding, day, mixed and single sex.

4.      Secondary school learners will be able to use the findings of the study to  make appropriate decisions
on the  school type to attend and also best learning practicesto adopt in facilitating learning.

5.      This study will pave way for Educational researchers to carry out studies on the advantages and
disadvantages of de-boarding and boarding.

6.      Senior Secondary school teachers will benefit from this study as it will pave way and bring to limelight
acceptable practices in schools that will enhance students’ performance e.g. counseling, disciplinary
measures etc.

1.7     DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

            This study is limited to the effects of boarding and de-boarding on the academic performance of
senior secondary school students in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State. The academic
performance of students in boarding and day secondary schools will be ascertained. More so, their
performance based on gender will also be determined. The study comprises of teachers and students of
Government Secondary School Wase (boarding) and Government  Secondary School Ilirim (day) in Wase
Local Government Area of Plateau State.

1.8   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Senior secondary school: is the last three year education programme for students who transits from the
junior secondary school to the secondary school.

Senior secondary school students: These are students that in their last three years in any secondary school
programme.

Boarding students: Refers to students that are in the non-residential system of education where they are
expected to take lectures and leave for their homes each day.  They are also referred to as day students.

De-boarding/Day students: Refers to students who are not in the residential system of education. Students
receive lectures and school and return to their homes each day after school
Boarding school: refers to students who are in the residential system of education. Students receive lectures
and school and stay in the school throughout the session. They only return to their homes during
holidays.                                                                                                   

Day school: Refers to schools where students comes school every morning and go home every day after
school unlike the boarding school.

Academic performance: Refers to the general average achievement of students in various subjects in the
school.

Teaching strategies: This is also referred to as instructional strategies and it is the teaching style/methods
adopted of giving instructions to facilitate learning.