Girls from single-sex schools are more likely to be high-fliers in life, evidence shows.

The new headmistress of the Bermuda High School for Girls made the claim while banging the drum for single-sex education.

Mrs. Eleanor Kingsbury pointed to statistics in Britain which spotlighted the impressive academic record of girls only schools: Half of the top 48 independent schools scoring best results at A level -- pre-university exams taken by 18-year-olds -- were single-sex.

Proportionately, that figure should have been 40 percent at most; and A third of the top state schools were girls only, compared to an expected nine percent; In the United States, statistics showed a similar contrast.

"Most significant outcome of all is that graduates of girls' schools pursue careers in math, science and technology four times more often than their peers from co-ed schools,'' said Mrs. Kingsbury, guest speaker at Tuesday's luncheon meeting of Hamilton Rotary Club.

Mrs. Kingsbury, however, pointed to an apparent contradiction.

Despite evidence showing their worth, girls only schools were disappearing.

The reasons were many, she said, and included: the popular feeling that to live in a co-ed world you should go to a coed school; laws in America forbade sex discrimination in public schools; and some schools found it hard to enrol enough students without admitting both sexes.

Why were co-educational schools failing girls? Mrs. Kingsbury referred to a recent report, "How Schools Shortchange Girls''.

Research for it was carried out by the American Association of University Women.

It painted a grim picture about daily life for girls, she said.

"They are called on less than boys; they are given less feedback on their work; they are often praised for being `nice' and keeping neat margins rather than for being smart or speaking up.

"The result, according to the 1992 report, is that many girls experience a loss of self-esteem around age 11, while boys keep riding high on their egos.

"That loss of self-esteem can lead to problems which manifest themselves in a variety of ways which can include depression and eating disorders.'' Harvard researcher Catherine Krupnick had analysed what happened to girls in classes, said Mrs. Kingsbury.

The research showed men tended to dominate classroom discussions, while women were more likely to be interrupted.

"The result of all this is that self-doubt has become part of women's public voice,'' said Mrs. Kingsbury.

"Why does this matter? Because women represent half the population and a growing segment of the work force.

"The role of women has been revolutionised in the past century through getting the vote, as a result of the roles they played in two world wars, as a result of the development of reliable birth control.

"This means, of course, that there are more opportunities open to them than ever before but they need to be well-educated and sure of their abilities to take advantage of these opportunities.

"They also need to recognise their options and have the confidence to make choices and assume the responsibilities that go with these choices.'' Mrs. Kingsbury continued: "Girls' schools don't just offer equal opportunity, they offer unlimited opportunity.

"In all girls' schools, girls are the best in all subjects, maths and science, as well as French and art.

"Girls are the student leaders, the debaters, the athletes, the prize-winners.

"Teachers in a girls' school can concentrate on how girls learn best and teach accordingly.

"In short, girls' schools can prepare their students to take their full and rightful place in the world they will live in as adults.'' Mrs. Kingsbury said there was still very much a place for single-sex schools.

"As long as we can produce students who are willing and able to put their minds to any challenge and to claim equal footing with boys at university and in the workplace, girls' schools will not just survive but thrive.

"This holds true for Bermuda as well as for the UK, and the US.'' Mrs. Kingsbury said BHS had educated strong women in its 100-year history.

"There is a need for us to continue in that proud tradition so that Bermuda may hear their voices and benefit from the contributions they can make this small island as the Country moves forward into the 21st century.'' MRS. ELEANOR KINGSBURY -- New BHS headmistress.