ENHANCING SCHOOL

INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INSIGHTS FROM
SOMALILAND'S EDUCATION
COMMITTEES
Article Review

MARCH 9, 2024
JAMIIL MOHAMED ABDI
Project identification, Analysis and Appriasal
INTRODUCTION
This review discusses the findings of the article titled "Primary Schools’ Development in Somaliland the Role of
Community Education Committees." The focus of this study is to investigate how communities in Somaliland
contribute to the development of school infrastructures through the active participation of Community Education
Committees (CEC). The researchers sought to understand the methods of community engagement in these projects,
and how effective these methods have been. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach within a cross-sectional survey, the
study involved a comprehensive participant base, including 920 headteachers and 82 District Education Officers
(DEOs), which highlights the breadth and depth of the research. This study is of paramount importance as it sheds
light on the dynamics of community involvement in educational development, offering insights that could be beneficial
for similar contexts beyond Somaliland.

Methodology
This research took a close look at how communities in Somaliland are involved in school projects, focusing on 1002
potential participants, including headteachers and District Education Officers (DEOs). Using a mix of careful selection
and random sampling, the study zeroed in on 279 key respondents. Researchers picked regions based on safety,
access, and the number of schools, ensuring a balance between rural and urban areas. They then used a
questionnaire for headteachers and interviews for DEOs to collect data. The study made sure everything was
accurate and reliable by testing the questionnaire ahead of time and checking the results for consistency. Finally,
they analyzed the answers using both thematic analysis for the interviews and descriptive statistics for the
questionnaire responses, merging these insights to get the full picture.

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

The study revealed three primary methods through which communities participate in school infrastructure projects in
Somaliland: decision-making, providing free labor, and fundraising, with nearly all surveyed schools (over 88%)
employing these methods. Remarkably, donating complete infrastructure was the least utilized approach. The
research highlights the community's strong sense of ownership over the completed projects and overall satisfaction
with the participation process. It underscores the effectiveness of Community Education Committees (CEC) in
fostering this involvement, though it suggests that broader engagement beyond CECs could further enhance school
development.
Empirical data show a high degree of community involvement in all facets of school projects, contributing significantly
to reducing costs and ensuring project success. Despite this, challenges like the misalignment of community efforts
with project needs and underrepresentation of all community subgroups in CECs were noted, hinting at areas for
improvement. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of schools acknowledged achieving their community
participation goals, pointing to a largely positive impact of these efforts on school infrastructure development.

LIMITATIONS
The study, while comprehensive, encountered several limitations that may influence the interpretation of its results.
First, the reliance on self-reported data through questionnaires and interviews may introduce bias, as respondents
could overestimate their contribution or the effectiveness of community participation. Second, the sampling
technique, although designed to be representative, might not fully capture the diversity and breadth of experiences
across all regions of Somaliland, particularly in areas with security issues or inaccessible due to poor infrastructure.
Additionally, the study's cross-sectional nature limits its ability to assess the long-term impact and sustainability of
community participation in school infrastructure projects. Lastly, the focus on headteachers and DEOs may overlook
the perspectives of other stakeholders, such as students, parents, and community members who are not directly
involved in the CECs but still play a crucial role in the school community.

RECOMMENDATIONS
To address the limitations and build on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are proposed:
Future Research: Conduct longitudinal studies to assess the long-term effects and sustainability of community
participation in school development projects. Such studies could help understand how the initial enthusiasm and
participation translate into ongoing engagement and support.
Broader Stakeholder Inclusion: Expand research to include a wider range of stakeholders, including students,
parents, and non-CEC community members, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of community
participation's impact.
Enhance CEC Representation: Efforts should be made to ensure that CECs are truly representative of the
community's diversity, including addressing the challenges posed by the complex clan system in Somaliland. This
may involve revising the criteria for CEC membership or increasing the size of the committees.
Strengthen Participation Methods: While the study highlights the effectiveness of current participation methods,
there is room for innovation and the introduction of new strategies to enhance community engagement. This could
include digital platforms for wider community involvement in decision-making or crowdfunding for project financing.
Capacity Building: Invest in training and capacity building for CEC members and school leaders to enhance their
skills in project management, fundraising, and community mobilization. This will ensure that community participation
is not only enthusiastic but also effective and aligned with the schools' needs.
Policy and Practice Adjustments: Based on the study's findings, policymakers and educational authorities should
consider adjustments to enhance community participation's effectiveness. This might include providing more support
and resources to CECs or developing guidelines that encourage broader community engagement in school projects.

CONCLUSION
This review highlighted the pivotal role of community participation, as revealed by the study on "Primary
Schools’ Development in Somaliland – The Role of Community Education Committees." It underscored the
effective engagement of communities through decision-making, providing free labor, and fundraising in
school infrastructure projects, demonstrating a strong sense of ownership and satisfaction among the
community members. Despite its successes, the study also acknowledged limitations such as the potential
for bias in self-reported data and the challenges in fully representing the diverse Somaliland community.
Recommendations for future research, broader stakeholder inclusion, and enhanced participation methods
suggest pathways to further strengthen community involvement in educational development. The findings
and suggestions from this study not only contribute to the discourse on community participation in
education in Somaliland but also offer insights applicable to similar contexts globally, emphasizing the
importance of inclusive, effective community engagement in achieving educational goals.