Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges in the adoption of strategic planning in
public secondary schools in Kenya and suggest mitigation strategies. The study was conducted in
Kirinyaga Central district. The objectives of the study were: to establish leadership, policy,
resource and institutional factors influencing the adoption of strategic planning in public secondary
school in Nakuru Sub-County. The research adopted a descriptive survey design. The target
population was public secondary schools in Nakuru Sub-County. Sampling was done through
stratified, purposive and simple random sampling methods. The sample size was twelve (12)
secondary schools, 12 principals, 96 teachers and one DQASO. Structured and semi structured
questionnaires were used as data collection tools. Interview and observation schedules were also
used. The responses to the items were tabulated and data organized through frequency tables and
percentages based on the research questions and were used to generate conclusions and
recommendations. The study revealed that the adoption of strategic planning in schools was greatly
hindered by leadership, resource, and policy challenges. The findings hence indicate a need for
training on strategic planning and proper resource and financial management in schools to allow
for continuous improvement.
