---

Participatory construction is an essential means for rural communities in developing areas to acquire space for the accommodation of public amenities. However, poor management of participatory projects results in delays, budget over-runs and substandard quality of construction. This study attempts to develop guidelines for the successful management of participatory school construction projects in Gilgit- Baltistan province of Pakistan through an evaluation of existing practices. The guidelines so developed are meant to assist rural communities in the province, as well as support organizations, in the successful execution of community school projects in the future. The award-winning METI School in the village of Rudrapur, Bangladesh served as the starting point and motivation for this study.

---

Zain Mankani did his Bachelors in Architecture from Karachi, Pakistan in 2001 and later his Masters in Construction and Real Estate Management as a joint program between the University of Applied Sciences (HTW) in Berlin, Germany and Metropolia University in Helsinki, Finland. He runs his private practice in Karachi.

---