Strategic Planning for Secondary School Principals in Sabya Governorate: A Proposed Framework

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the conceptual framework of strategic planning in pre-university education, examine the current performance of secondary school principals in Sabya Governorate in implementing strategic planning, and develop a proposed framework to help secondary school principals apply it more effectively. The study was based on the importance of strategic planning as an administrative approach that contributes to defining the vision and objectives, analyzing the internal and external environments, allocating resources, improving decision-making processes, and addressing future changes and challenges. The study adopted the descriptive method and used a questionnaire as a data collection instrument. The questionnaire consisted of 30 items distributed across three main dimensions: strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategy evaluation. The instrument was administered to a sample of 151 secondary school principals in Sabya Governorate, drawn from a population of 503 principals, representing 30.02% of the total population. The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS through frequencies, percentages, relative weights, the chi-square test (χ²), the t-test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the overall level of principals’ performance in implementing strategic planning reached a relative weight of 74.02%. The strategy implementation dimension ranked first, with a relative weight of 74.80%, followed by the strategy formulation dimension with 74.24%, and the strategy evaluation dimension with 73.03%. The findings also highlighted the importance of utilizing technological applications, allocating financial resources, involving relevant stakeholders, and ensuring continuous follow-up in the planning and implementation processes, while indicating a need for greater attention to defining the vision and objectives, performance indicators, and periodic evaluation processes. In light of the findings, theoretical framework, and previous studies, the study proposed a framework for implementing strategic planning in secondary schools in Sabya Governorate based on promoting a culture of strategic planning, analyzing the school environment, formulating the vision, mission, and objectives, identifying implementation requirements, and continuously implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the plan in a manner that enhances the effectiveness of school administration and the quality of institutional performance.