Dr.

Abdalla

UMIT 3
SCHOOL COMMUNITY RELAT IONS
The concept of a school
School has been defined in various ways. It can be said that school is any organized educational
institution where knowledge is transmitted from the teachers to the learners.
School can also be defined as a social institution that transmits the culture of the society from
one generation to another. We can define it as an agent of socialization. Ottaway & Smith (1980)
defined school as a social unit formally established by members of the society for the purpose of
developing the younger members of their society. Olaniyi (2000) defined it as a formal agency of
education established by member of the community/society to mould the habits, interests,
attitudes and feelings of children and transmit the societal norms, culture, value and tradition
from one generation to another.
A school is a formally established institution by appropriate law and authorities where the
knowledge, attitudes, and skills required for both personal and social development are acquired.
School is a place where people learn about the past, present and project the future of a society at
large.
The Concept of a Community
Towns, cities, states and even the country comprise different communities. Community however
can be said to comprise groups of people living in a particular place who share the same
historical background, with common economic, cultural and social values.
Types of Community
i. Rural Community
Rural communities are found in the rural areas or in thinly populated areas. Rural community is a
close unit which comprises members with strong ties and lives a subsistence life. These groups
of people are less influenced b y institutional or economic activities because these are less
pronounced in rural area where rural communities are based.
ii. Urban Community
Urban communities are found in the urban areas or a densely populated area. The community
comprises number/group of people who have less in common with each other within the same
community with weak ties. They are highly influenced b y many institutions in their socio-

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political and economic activities because the community where they live (urban community)
may highly industrialize with presence and concentration of political and economic activities.
Schools - Community Relationships
School- community relationship is cord ial and mutual interactions that exist between the school
and the community where the school is situated. This relationship assists both the school and the
community to achieve their set goals in a healthy atmosphere. Bortner (1972) defined school-
community relationship as planned activities and a way through which the school seek to learn
about the community and interpret, when need be, the purpose, programme, problems and needs
of the school; and involve the community in the planning, evaluating and management of school
policies and progress.
Both the school and the community are interdependent and interrelated. The community prepares
the input (i.e. students) needed b y the school for survival, the output from school (i.e. graduates)
also comes back to the community and assists in various capacities. For the school - community
relationship to be peaceful, healthy, mutual, cordial, worthwhile and productive; the school and
the community must be willing to assist each other to achieve their respective set goals in
conducive and loving atmosphere, where there is mutual trust, support and cooperation.
The Roles of the School to the Community
The following are the roles of the school to the host community or the society at large.
1. Provision of Education. The school assisted the community to train the children and young
pupils on how to write basic literacy/numeracy. The curriculum used for children by the school
lay emphasis on the need and problems of the community and on how to assist the children
contributes their quota to the development of the community.
2. Preservation of Community Culture. In the school also, the children are taught the
community norms, values culture, tradition, beliefs. Apart from teaching the children all these,
school also ensure its transmission from one generation for another. School also carries out
research to improve on good culture of the community and to discourage the children from the
bad or anti social character.
3. Provision of Facilities for Community Use. The school provides and makes available some
school facilities for community use when needed b y the community.
Some of the facilities made available for the community are the school playing ground (for
community rallies, socials, religious and other activities), school halls and classrooms (for

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receptions and entertainments as well as for adult and continuing education classes ), school
vans/buses (for social outings).
4. Provision of Means of Livelihood to Members of the Community. The school provides a
means of livelihood to members of the community b y employing them as teachers,
administrative officers, day/night guards, drivers, cleaners, gardeners or any other available
position qualified for b y the member of the community.
5. Manpower Supply. There are various categories of manpower needed by the community to
serve in the various sectors of the economy, for example, Medical Doctors to provide medical
service, Lawyers to provide legal service, Bankers to provide banking service, Teachers/Lectures
to teach in schools, Engineers to serve in the engineering units of the country, Computer
Scientists to take care of the internet service and other information technology ser vice of the
country, etc.
6. Assist in Community Development Programme/Service. Members of the school play active
role in some project embarked on by the community. The school students are engaged in various
projects embarked the community.
The Roles of the Community to the School
The community in appreciation of the roles of the school to the community and for mutual co-
existence performs the following functions to the school.
1. Provision of Funds. The community generates funds for the development of the school
through special levies. Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) levies, donation by old students
association, religious groups , non-government organization, philanthropist etc.
2. Provision of Land. The community makes available landed property (either freely or at a
reduced price) to erect school structure of various categories and also gardening and farming
purposes.
3. Maintenance of School Plant. Various artisan groups within the community such as carp
enters, bricklayers, mechanics, etc assist in installation, maintenance and rep air of school
physical facilities at a reduced rate as at when needed and they are called upon.
4. Provision of Facilities. The community provides physical facilities which members of the
school make use of. Examples of the physical facilities; provided by the community are public
library, which assist the student to pursue academic excellence, community halls which are used

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by the school for teaching and learning and social activities, hospitals and clinics which are used
as first aid in case of the need to refer to a specialist or other hospitals.
5. Provision of Accommodation The community provides residential accommodation to both
the staff and the students of the school. Most schools now have
no befitting accommodation for their staff or even their students. This makes the school and/or
the staff concerned explores opportunity of getting an accommodation in the community where
the school is situated or nearby communities.
6. Provision of Scholarship. The communities make provision for scholarship to brilliant or
indigent brilliant students or both of them depending on the fund available.
Some well meaning individuals (who appreciate education and educated citizens) within the
community, e.g. Philanthropists Religious groups, etc. also awards various scholarship schemes
to assist students within the community in primary, secondary or institution of higher learning.
The scholarship may cover school fees, books, others or all.
Factors Influencing School Community Relationship
It is necessary for the school head to be familiar with the factors influencing the school
community relationship to facilitate cord ial relationship between the school and the community.
Some of the factors are discussed below.
i. The Location of the School. The location of a school within the community goes a long way
in influencing the school - community relationship.
ii. Facilities Available. The type of facilities available in the school will determine the level of
cordial relationship the school receives from the community.
iii. Communication. Effective communication between the school and the community at all
time will enable community members to assist the school and give them good advice.
iv. Leadership Style. The type of leadership style ad opted b y the school head will go a long
way in enhancing positively or negatively the relationship between the school and the
community.
v. Attitude of School Staff. The attitude/behaviour of the school head and his staff toward the
members of the community will either enhance their relationship or otherwise.
The Role of School Head in School - Community Relationship.
To achieve the set goals for schools, healthy relationship is a must between the school and the
community. Therefore, the school head needs to ensure that there is love, understanding, trust,

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mutual trust between the school and the community. To ensure this, the school head need to take
the following measures:
i. He should establish a functional PTA. The head should make the PTA a functional one
rather than making it an income generating association alone. The members be allowed to have a
say/contribution in the running of the school. For example, they can b e involved in the school
promotion exercise, maintenance of discipline in the school, school plant and management. If the
school head can allow a functional PTA, it will facilitate healthy relationship between the school
and the community, but when he/she refuses to make the PTA functional, there is the likelihood
of having various crises between the school and the community.
ii. He should be accessible. The school head must make himself accessible to members of the
community such a the PTA chairman or other executive, the parent, chiefs, religious leaders and
members of old student association and other visitors that may visit the school occasionally from
the community. The school head must be a good listener, nice, humble, and approachable, to
enhance and sustain healthy relationship between the school and the community.
iii. He should involve members of the community in the school activities. Members of the
community where the school is located must be involved in the school activities; the school is
within the community, hence the need for the school head to involve the members of the
community in the school activities. For example, members of the community should b e allowed
to p lay active role in the school s sporting activities and socials such as: end of the year get-
together, founders day, valedictory service, and other social activities of the school. This type of
involvement will enhance cordial relationship between the school and the community.
iv. He should make himself available. The school head must make him/her self available to the
members of community, the parents, PTA executives, old students group, chiefs and religions
leaders. He should not be the type that administer in absence or have a lot of bureaucratic
procedures before he can be seen by members of the community. A school head that makes
himself available at all times will attend to the community needs timely and he/she will enjoy the
support and healthy relationship from the community
v. He should avoid realistic politics in the community: the school head and staff members
should avoid taking p art in the political activities in the community to avoid bad blood between
the school and the community, the school head should ensure that he/she do not represent any

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political party within the school to achieve some political goals. This will enable the school head
to be neural on all issues at all time.