The role of strategic planning in school improvement in selected secondary schools of Solwezi district, Zambia

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of strategic planning in school improvement in selected public secondary schools in Solwezi District, Zambia. Objectives of the study were to assess the implementation of Strategic Planning; determine the influence of Strategic Planning on school improvement; and to establish the major constraints encountered in implementing Strategic Planning. The objectives were achieved using a descriptive design which was employed on a target population from six public secondary schools. The sample comprised six secondary schools, six head teachers, six secondary school deputy head teacher and six board chairpersons. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data was collected through interviews. Document analysis was also used to verify the available of documented information that was needed as supportive evidences in the study. Data collected through interviews were analyzed by thematic analysis, while data collected through document analysis were interpreted and presented through narrations. The study revealed that implementation of strategic planning contributes to improved school performance and learners’ achievements in selected secondary schools. The study also revealed that strategic planning plays a key role towards the positive performance of schools as a tool that directs resource mobilization and allocation and also enables secondary schools to conduct both internal and external analysis of school improvement. The study also revealed that selected secondary schools faced challenges of inadequate resources such as financial, material and training in the implementation of strategic planning. The study recommends that, the Ministry of General Education should provide support towards the implementation of strategic planning in form of financial, material, training and regularly monitor and evaluate the implementation of the objectives in the strategic planning. The secondary schools should also have school monitoring committees to assess implementation of strategic planning. Keywords: Strategic planning, School Improvement.