они наводили порядок на равных

[cacolazatchok]

hi,
the text is about a school in a prison.In this passage the director explains to the journalist that the teachers and the prisonners fixed some tables and chairs that they got from a school which closed when they opened this one.
школьную мебель отремонтировали сами осужденные вместе с предподовотелями,порядок тоже наводили на равных.
I dont understand the sense of " на равных".
thanks a lot for helping me!

[tumanov]

both teachers and prisoners were doing the work. There werer no difference between the prisoners and the teachers, when they were repairing a furniture and doing cleaning.

быть или делать что-то "на равных" = to be (they were) equal in doing something

[cacolazatchok]

and suddenly the text makes sense! thx a lot :)

[segu]

as equals /on a par with/ on equal terms with the prisoners

[segu]

oops, too slow :)

[tumanov]

You can consider it as a short form of "на равных (условиях)"

[cacolazatchok]

thx a lot for all this answers.I love that forum!