Finance
Advantages
Potential limitations
Proven to be cost-effective in comparison to
contractual systems where contractor overheads,
profit and bank guarantees can increase costs by
more than 15 percent.11,15
Localised financial control may limit the capacity
for redistribution of financial resources across
communities.13
School construction funds benefit local
economies.14
SECTION I: INTRODUCTION
Advantages and potential limitations of community-based safe
school construction
Where communities lack training in financial
management, it is important to provide training
before construction starts.
Can mobilise additional resources for education
by enhancing community commitment to a local
school.16
Equity
Sharing power between communities and
government agencies or development actors can
ensure community needs and preferences are
addressed.
Decentralised and community-based strategies
may increase inequity between communities,
as each will rely more heavily on uneven levels
local knowledge and resources.13
Promotes shared responsibility.
Can shift responsibilities to local people with
limited capacity or other priorities.
Can increase community awareness of their rights
to information and decision-making power.
Quality
Sustainability
Can exacerbate pre-existing inequities in social
divisions, including ethic, gender-based or
religious divisions.16
Can improve the visual quality of construction in
comparison to school buildings constructed by
external contractors.17
When local craftspeople lack adequate
knowledge of hazard-resistant design and
construction techniques, school construction
may replicate the vulnerabilities found in local
private sector construction.
Tends to increase community ownership
through wider community involvement in its
implementation.11
When initiated by non-government actors,
government accountability to citizens can be
undermined.
Can infuse enhanced construction practices into
communities – skills that may transfer to residential
and other construction.14
Without clearly defined responsibilities for
operation and maintenance, school buildings
can deteriorate.
Helps ensure strategies are accepted and
appropriate for community.
When not properly supported, the process
can burden community with learning skills, like
construction management and procurement that
may have limited transferability.
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