School: A Cohesive Agent for the Community





Second, schools bring adults in the community together – most often the parents, grandparents or siblings who meet each other at the school gate or school sports day. For some dispersed communities it may be the only way many families get to know others. The very act of meeting others reinforces their place as a member of a community – something wider and bigger than just their family. Indeed in many countries schools as places are used to provide a range of other community services from healthcare to parent support.

Third, schools connect people not only in the present day but over time through history. The history of a place can provide a potent narrative that reinforces a sense of community and belonging. Even the buildings themselves may come to represent a vital spirit of a community – they may be just physical objects but like any totem in human culture it is the association that gives them meaning.

Finally, in time of crisis school buildings are often used to provide refuge. Sometimes they are the only places large enough to accommodate the number of people. They may well be owned or run by government and so be part of a government response to an emergency. Sadly though, as recent events in Gaza have shown, even schools may not always provide the safe haven so often assumed.


A question:

How does your school provide a focus for your community? What good examples are there?



One thought on “School: A Cohesive Agent for the Community

  1. Yes, I completely agree.School plays a large part in becoming a person one is. In my school, we learned to be united, to stand together for ourselves. Also,we learn to accept the uniqueness of each other during school since each one of us accepts and enjoys each other the way they are since a very early age.In school,I learned how to wonder. Fortunately,my school wasn’t a strict one so I can say that I learned about life from my friends(teachers included).

Leave a Reply
