This is an extensive review which draws on the relevance in understanding the impact of community participation on secondary school education in a depressed economy. The review tried to infer the functionalist perspective towards explaining the context of community participation through which cohesion, consensus and solidarity play significant roles in reducing the financial burden of government, school management, parents and community members alike, in financing schools. The review tried to explain on how best communities can be involved through shared funding: provision of facility, additional funds, infrastructure, extra curricula activities and so on. Thus, literature was reviewed under some of the following sub-headings: the concept of community service, community service and secondary education, including community service in Nigerian education curriculum and community service a key to community development among others. It was concluded that community involvement and education on the needs and requirements for secondary education is a booster towards achieving its goals in a depressed economy.