Strengthening Interdependence of the School and the Community

The following are the suggested steps for strengthening interdependence of the school and the community:

• Decentralise education. Let the right people from the community be inducted into the fold of the controlling authorities.
• Each school should have a local advisory committee constituting the notable persons of the locality. They should be advised not to interfere.
• Invite people from the community to the school whenever important functions are held.
• Parents' Day' function should be organized every year in the school. On such occasions parents should be asked to speak on topics concerning the welfare of the school.
• Parent-Teacher Association is a vital instrument for strengthening the relationship between the school and the community.
• School building should be thrown open to the community on important social functions.
• Adult education classes should be started in the evening hours.
• School library can be a place of immense attraction for the community. It can be used in the evening hours by members of the community.
• Occasionally, functions include film shows, dramas, nutrition show, child car shows etc. The community stands much benefited from these functions.
• Community is always keenly interested in the physical standards of its members. Thes can organize community games to have its members involved in their physical efficiency. Matches between the members of the school staff and those of the community may be organized.
• The school must run a vocational guidance bureau service for the prospective members of the community. The vocational bureau should open at fixed hours and the needed information should be given to those who want it.
• Exhibitions may be arranged in the school on special occasions. For example, science exhibitions may be arranged in the school where other schools may also be invited to participate. There can be display of interesting and useful experiments from which the community can draw benefit.

What we should like to see is a two way traffic so that the problems that arise in the home and community life and the realistic experiences gained should be brought into school so that education may be based on them and be intimately connected with real life, and on the other hand, the new knowledge, skills, attitudes and values acquired in the school should be carried into the home life to solve its problems, to raise standards and link up the teachers, parents and children in one and naturally helpful group".