Local Study Shows Community Schools Benefit from Participatory Research
Study reveals benefits of community-led research in informal settlement schools.
A recent community study commissioned by the Innovation For Humanity Foundation reveals encouraging results about school engagement in informal settlements around Nairobi.
Researchers working with teachers, students, and parents conducted interviews and focus groups at three public primary schools in Mathare and Korogocho. Early findings show that community-led research can strengthen school performance by identifying practical barriers to learning — such as irregular water supply, lack of shaded spaces, and limited parental outreach.
The study used simple participatory methods that enabled teachers and student leaders to collect and reflect on data together with researchers. Students assessed their school environment, teachers shared classroom challenges, and parents highlighted safety and health needs. This approach helped uncover issues that often go unnoticed in standard assessments.
"By involving everyone directly, we gained a clearer picture of day-to-day challenges," noted one of the field coordinators. The study also tested low-cost interventions recommended by participants — including extra water containers, student-led clean-ups, and monthly parent-school meetings — to see how they influence school attendance and engagement.
Preliminary results indicate small but positive changes in attendance rates and classroom participation, suggesting that when communities take part in defining problems and co-designing solutions, improvements follow.
The Foundation plans to share the full report and recommendations with education partners and county officials later this quarter. The goal is not only to highlight the study's findings but also to encourage community research as a regular practice for school improvement across Nairobi.