Factors influencing implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools in trans Nzoia west sub county, Trans Nzoia county, Kenya

Abstract

A good strategic planning process does more than produce a tangible output and not just a documented plan; it supports ongoing strategic thinking, discussion, and behavior. In a good strategic process the strategic plan provides a dynamic map for an organization's considered movement through time and sets the stage for organizational improvement efforts. The purpose of this study was to analyze factors influencing implementation of strategic plans in secondary schools in Trans Nzoia West Sub County. The study was guided by four objectives namely: To investigate the effect of the principals’ leadership styles on implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools in Trans Nzoia West Sub County; to determine the effect of the availability of resources on implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools in Trans Nzoia West Sub County: to examine the effect of the level of stakeholders’ participation on implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools in Trans Nzoia West Sub County and to determine the effect of institutional structure on implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools in Trans Nzoia West Sub County. The study was guided by the Modern Decision Theory, stakeholder and Theory of Transformational Leadership. The target population included all Board of management members, the principals and the teachers. Both probability and non-probability sampling approaches were employed to determine sample size for the study. A suitable sample size of 305 respondents was selected from this target population of 1,368 for data collection purposes. Primary data was done through the help of Questionnaires, document analysis and qualitative data was collected using the interview schedules. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were applied to process and analyze data collected from the field. The study was significant to the education stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, Departments of Education, teachers, parents and the society. The study concludes that there is a significant relationship between the principals’ leadership styles; availability of resources and implementation of strategic plans; level of stakeholders’ participation and institutional structure and implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools in Trans Nzoia West Sub County. The study concludes that there was a strong relationship between the four factors and implementation of strategic plans in secondary schools in the sub county. Schools administration should give strategic plans life by not only ensuring that they are developed just as a statutory requirement, but they should be implemented to the letter. The ministry of education should develop a clear policy on school strategic plan implementation. School management should employ a democratic leadership styles while developing strategic plans as they ensure better achievement of strategic objectives. Management should involve other stakeholders such as the non-governmental organisations in school activities. The administration should endeavour to mobilize resources from other sources. The administration should endeavour to adopt a simple institutional structure in schools. The school principals should implement the strategic plans by applying the skills and knowledge acquired so that the organizational objectives are achieved in a desired manner