This paper emphasizes the primary school's role in the community within the context of rural development. The situation in the two anglophone provinces of the United Republic of Cameroon serves to illustrate the development prospects of a closer cooperation between primary schools and the local population. Discussion focuses on the involvement of schools in self-help projects, develops a typology for development-oriented curricula, examines services of primary schools that can be rendered to communities free of charge or in return for payment, and points out how school facilities can be used by communities. The report indicates that, although cooperation between school and community has become firmly established in Cameroon and is being supported by the provincial school authorities, the schools are neither in a position nor are they required to provide for collective improvements in the communities. (YLB)