SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONS

SCHOOL

A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning

environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Schools are typically
divided into different levels, such as elementary, middle, and high school, and can also include
specialized institutions like colleges, universities, and vocational schools

Schools serve as places where students acquire knowledge, skills, and discipline through formal
instruction and training. They play a crucial role in the intellectual, social, and personal
development of young people

Beyond the basic educational functions, schools can also be seen as communities that foster a
sense of belonging, promote cultural values, and provide resources and support to students and
their families

COMMUNITY

A community is a social unit of people who share common characteristics or interests and
perceive themselves as distinct in some respect from the larger society in which they exist.

Communities can range from small, close-knit groups to large, complex societies. They play a
crucial role in shaping individuals' identities, providing social support, and influencing patterns of
social interaction and the transmission of cultural norms.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY RELATIONS

School-Community Relationship
The relationship between a school and its surrounding community is crucial for the success and
development of both. A strong school-community relationship can bring numerous benefits to
students, teachers, parents, and the broader community

FACTORS THAT ENHANCE SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONS

– Analyse the community

The school principal must examine the community in which the school lies in order to create
good relationships with its members. Communities are composed of different ethnic, religious,
and socio-economic groups that may have either mutual or divergent interests.
Moreover, the school principal should support the school’s personnel and most importantly, the
teachers, to be open to the community’s involvement in the school. Good relationships and
regular communication between the teachers and the community are fundamental.

– The role of the school head, community leaders and external actors

It is essential to have a school principal with strong leadership skills and interpersonal qualities.
Recurrently, it is the school head who triggers the participation of community members in school
and maintains a good relationship with them. Therefore, his or her willingness to open the
school to the community and involve it in the management process is indispensable. The school
head must spend time and effort preparing and encouraging the community’s participation in
school. In addition, s/he must share the vision and plans of the school with community
members, listen to their different points of view, and invite them to collaborate in school.

– Design and implement awareness-raising campaigns

Awareness-raising campaigns should help parents and community members know the reasons
for and benefits of their participation in school. They should also be informed about the different
involvement opportunities, policies, and programmes, while making sure they understand that
participation is inclusive. Multiple communication tools can be used for that purpose. If multiple
languages are spoken in the community, translate the information and provide oral messages
for illiterate community members. It is also essential to ensure the availability and accessibility of
legal texts concerning community’s participation in the school at community- and school-level.

– Gear community and families’ engagement towards building inclusive, gender-responsive

schools

Community and families’ active engagement in schools should be geared towards building
inclusive, gender-responsive schools (physically, academically, and socially) as well as
promoting children’s access and retention. Community and family stakeholders can contribute
by:

Developing awareness-raising campaigns to highlight the importance of schooling, tackle down

socio-cultural beliefs against schooling and discriminatory gender norms which affect children’s
education (e.g. Child marriage).
Monitoring attendance.

Collecting information on children out-of-school.

Supporting the schools and families to develop flexible timetables.

Linking what is taught in school with children’s daily lives (practical knowledge).
Providing safe transportation to and from school.

– Foster an inclusive environment to ensure displaced community members’ involvement in the

school

Engaging displaced families in the school can support the development of relationships between
them, the host communities, and schools, thus facilitating the inclusion of displaced populations
into mainstream settings.
A safe, inclusive environment must be developed so that displaced communities feel welcomed,
encouraged, and empowered to become active members of the school. For this to happen, it is
key to address any form of exclusion, discrimination, xenophobia, and racism within schools
against displaced communities