STAKEHOLDERS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC PLANS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

This study investigated the stakeholder participation in the development of strategic plans in public secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the stakeholder theory. The study adopted a convergent parallel mixed methods design, incorporating phenomenology as the qualitative research approach. The target population for this study consisted of 558 individuals. To ensure a comprehensive and holistic perspective, a census was conducted, surveying the entire target population. As a result, the sample size was equivalent to the target population of 558, enabling a thorough examination of the research subjects. The study used primary data which was collected using an unstructured questionnaire. The findings indicated that stakeholder participation in formulating strategic plans had a positive and significant effect on management of public secondary schools (α=0.170, p=0.000). The study concluded that stakeholders participate in the process of formulating strategic plans in public secondary schools. In the formulation of strategy, stakeholders assist management to develop strategic thinking approaches and to fit in the emergent aspects of the modern strategy making within their secondary schools’ contexts. Stakeholders’ interests are not always consistent and the various stakeholders are not always affected in the same way by every strategic decision. Their influence therefore varies from one decision to decision. This determines which stakeholders are given priority in any strategic decisions. The results from the study indicates that the school’s management appreciate the role being played by the stakeholders in strategic process as it assists the schools to craft the strategies which would help them achieve their desired objectives and these has led the institutions to put in place mechanisms of dealing with the stakeholders so that each one of them can play their role adequately. The study reccommneds that schools should continue engaging all the stakeholders even when they have achieved the set targets as these will inspire them. The role the stakeholders play in the school’s strategy formulation should be broadened by schools’ management to support policy and activities, to avoid conflicts and to generate as much support as possible for the implementation of the plan over time and therefore the management of the schools should continue engaging the stakeholders.