STRATEGIC PLANNING COMPETENCIES UTILIZED BY PRINCIPALS IN MANAGING EMERGING ISSUES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the strategic planning competencies utilized by principals in managing emerging issues in public secondary schools in Enugu State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised 462 respondents which made up of all the 231 principals and 231 vice-principals in the public secondary schools in Enugu State. The instrument for data collection was a researcher-developed questionnaire, structured on a 4-point rating scale that ranged from very high extent to very low extent. It was validated by two experts, one in Educational Administration and Planning and the other in Measurement and Evaluation, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu. The test-retest method of reliability of the instrument was used and the data obtained were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.85. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions. The t-test was used in testing the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that principals utilized strategic planning competencies to a low extent going by the mean ratings of principals and vice-principals. There were also no significant differences between the mean ratings of principals and vice principals on their utilization of the strategic planning competencies. Poor utilization of strategic planning competencies by principals implies that it is either that principals were not adequately trained and prepared to strategically manage schools for effective results or that the training they received was no longer adequate to meet the challenges of emerging issues in secondary school management. It was thus, recommended among other things that Continuous training opportunities should be given to all principals through seminars and workshops to expose them to modern trends and skills in strategic planning for managing emerging issues in their schools through the optimum use of targets, standards, and scarce resources.  Article visualizations: