Factors Influencing the Implementation of the Strategic Planning Policy in Secondary Schools in Meru Central District

Abstract

Strategic planning is one of the major approaches for improving secondary school performance in Kenya. However, the implementation of strategic planning policy has been faced with challenges that needed to be investigated. This study therefore investigated the factors influencing the implementation of strategic planning policy in Meru Central District. The study looked at the influence of stakeholder involvement, availability of financial resources leadership styles and technical competence on the implementation of the strategic planning policy secondary schools': The study adopted a descriptive research design where the study target population included all 17 secondary schools. The study used stratified random sampling techniques at various stages of the research process to select 334respondents comprising of 17 Principals, 114 teachers and 203 members of school Boards of Governors from whom a questionnaire was used to collect data. The data collected was organized, coded and entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer program where descriptive analysis involving means and frequency and cross tabulations were used while Log linear regression model was used for inferential statistics analysis. The output was presented in frequency tables based on which interpretations and conclusions were made. Inferential statistics of Regression analysis model was used to test the hypothesis. The study concluded that Technical Competence had a significant influence on the Implementation of The Strategic Planning Policy. The study concluded that financial resources had a significant influence on The Implementation of The Strategic Planning Policy and that leadership styles had no significant influence on the implementation of the strategic planning policy in secondary schools. The study concluded that Stakeholder involvement had no significant influence on the implementation of the strategic planning policy in secondary schools. The study recommends that policy makers at the Ministry of Education improve the implementation of the strategic planning policy in secondary schools by addressing the shortcomings in the implementation of the strategic planning. policy. The study recommends that principals create a higher level of involvement of stakeholders in any further strategy development and review to avoid hands off approach and lack of ownership on their part. It is also critical that a review is done to distinguish between strategic plan implementation and other performance and Quality management tools. There is also need to institutionalize policies so that their guiding philosophies are shared across the faculty membership and to avoid them being vied as managerial propensity to lord over staff. Further study can also be executed on the effectiveness of the strategic management plans being implemented in the Secondary schools and finally a study on the Ministry of Education Human resources capacity to effetely participate in training strategic management planning and implementation in secondary schools in Kenya would be critical to any conclusions on the effectiveness of strategic management implementation.