Although many of the benefits of participation are difficult to measure, some are more tangible. Community involvement in school management makes it possible to develop schedules which take into account the reality of seasonal labour demands. Qualitative improvements in the relevance of curricula, the standard of teaching, and the development of teaching materials can also be generated through collaboration, and there is often a demonstrable impact in terms of enrolment, attendance, completion, and gender equity. The seven case studies summarised below illustrate some of the potential benefits of improved participation at various levels. Involving parents in the education process is an essential starting point.
National planners are ill-equipped to understand barriers to education at community level.
The Lok Jumbish project in India involves communities at the outset in a school-mapping exercise. Through a participatory process, parents identify what they perceive as the main obstacles to their children attending school, including the problems associated with existing provisions. Information from the mapping helps to frame policies about where schools should be located. But the mapping exercise is also a source of empowerment because it engages communities in debates about education provision - debates from which they are usually excluded. More broadly, participatory assessments can identify the specific reasons why girls are kept at home.