STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AND MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study focused on strategic planning process and the management of public secondary schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya. It aimed to answer four main research questions: the effect of stakeholder participation in strategic planning and implementation on school management, how communication with stakeholders affects the management and the strategies to improve strategic planning process and management of public secondary schools. The research was anchored in stakeholder theory, systems theory, and resource-based view theory. Convergent parallel mixed methods design and parallel database variant guided the study. The credibility and dependability of qualitative instruments were obtained through participants and instruments triangulation. A pilot study was conducted in Kiambu County to examine the validity and reliability of the research instruments. The target population consisted of 837 respondents. The sample size was 558 individuals (93 principals, 93 deputies, 93 heads of departments, 93 student leaders, 93 members of the Parents' Association, and 93 members of the Board of Management). The study used a purposive sampling technique and questionnaires and interview guides to collect data. Correlation analysis was used to explain the influence of the variables. The study revealed stakeholder participation positively affects school management by improving decision-making, increasing support for school goals and enhancing performance. Communication with stakeholders was highlighted as vital for building trust and facilitating the successful realization of school objectives. Despite these benefits, the study also identified challenges in stakeholder involvement, including time and resource constraints, unsupportive government policies, and a school culture that may discourage open participation. In conclusion, stakeholder participation has a significant effect on school management in Nairobi City County. The study recommends a multi-layered approach for increasing stakeholder involvement, emphasizing the need for cultural shifts within schools to value stakeholder input. In addition, recommendations to improve the situation and increase the effectiveness of strategic planning in schools include diverse stakeholder representation, data-driven decision making, regular review and flexibility, capacity building, collaborative partnerships, benchmarking, conflict resolution mechanisms and celebrating achievements. Recommendations for future research include the exploration of other variables like school size and stakeholder training to further validate these findings.