Ireland should keep single-sex schools as they have several advantages over mixed schools.
That's according to teacher and Aontú spokesperson on education, Eric Nelligan.
He was responding to comments last week that "totally unnatural" single-sex schools should be phased out.
Mr Nelligan told Newstalk Breakfast he believes this would be wrong.
"There are multiple advantages to single-sex schools, just like there are advantages to mixed schools.
"Single-sex schools their Leaving Cert results are higher, single-sex schools have a higher percentage of students going to third-level.
"What the OECD through the Irish Government have said is that when you remove the advantages that single-sex schools there is no significant difference with mixed schools.
"However what that doesn't say is when you don't remove the advantages that are afforded to mixed schools.
"So for instance, did you know that 70% of single-sex schools receive Government funding that support them through the day?
"So that means the 30% balance has to be made up by the school.
"However mixed schools, State-funded schools, receive 90% - so what you're seeing is there is a massive financial incentive".
He said differning learning styles between boys and girls suggest there are also benefits here.
"Another major advantage of single-sex schools is that the pupil-teacher interactions are superior, according to research.
"Interactions in RE classes and classes where you discuss motions on personal things is superior.
"Pupil participation in PE is far superior in single-sex schools than it is in mixed schools", he added.
