This paper investigates the challenges that Uganda and England have faced in beginning to reestablish community participation in the governance of education. It investigates starting points for the possible development of school-governance systems in both countries. Outlined first are the formats for community involvement that have been adopted in each country. The traditions and current philosophies that support active community involvement in each country are then examined. The paper concludes with a discussion of possible developments in both countries in light of their similarities and differences. Uganda's education system is officially centralized under a Ministry of Education; de facto, however, the system is decentralized because of the Ministry's lack of finance and poor communications infrastructure to link it with district or local staff. England's education system is officially both centralized and decentralized. Patterns of community involvement, their structures and representative mechanisms, powers, and teacher training and duties are remarkably similar for countries with such apparently different cultures. (Contains 80 references.) (LMI)