The Influence of Strategic Analysis Practices on School Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Mwanza Region, Tanzania: A Reflection to the Strategic Planning Model

Abstract

This study sought to appraise the influence of strategic analysis practices on school performance in public secondary schools in Mwanza region, Tanzania. Specifically, it assessed the influence of strategic analysis practices on school organisation performance; assessed the influence of strategic analysis practices on teacher performance; and evaluated the influence of strategic analysis practices on students’ academic performance. In order to achieve its intended objectives, the study was guided by the Johnson and Scholes model. The study adopted a mixed research approach in which it employed a convergent research design in which data were collected through survey questionnaire, interview and documentary review. The target population of the study was 2,417 members of the School Management Teams (SMTs) and School Governing Boards in which the study sample comprised of 342 SMTs and SGBs members. Quantitative data were analysed by using descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) while qualitative data were analysed through content analysis. The findings revealed that, strategic analysis practices is positively and significantly related to school organisational performance (b=0.425; p=0.013; R2=0.2); On the other hand, it was found that, strategic analysis practices is not significantly related to both teacher performance (b = 0.288; p = 0.112; R2=0.1) and students’ academic performance (b = 0.354; p = 0.118; R2 = 0.1). Nevertheless, it was further observed that, strategic analysis is indirectly related to both teacher performance and students’ academic performance through its mediating effect on school organisational performance as evidenced by the CFA results and qualitative findings. Therefore, it was generally concluded that, strategic analysis practices is an antecedent to school performance. The study recommended that; school management teams should optimise their potential in enhancing school performance by ensuring proper adoption of strategic analysis practices in their school development planning process.