FACTORS INFLUENCING STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION IN THE MINISTRIES OF EDUCATION IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study assessed the influence of financial resources, leadership, staff capacities and Information Communication Technologies components in strategic plan implementation and determined the internal efficiency index of public secondary schools in South-western Nigeria. This was with a view to providing information on factors that improve the internal efficiency of public secondary schools. The study adopted the descriptive research design. The population comprised all education officers and secondary school principals in the six states in South-western Nigeria. Sample for the study were 720 out of 2445 Education officers from level 10 to level 17 and (or their proxies which represents 29.4%) as well as 330 out of the 1,698 Principals of public secondary schools in South –western Nigeria. (Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo). The study adopted multi-stage sampling procedure for the study. Three states were selected from the six states in South-western Nigeria, using purposive sampling technique by ensuring that extremely contiguous states were avoided. From each of the three States, two senatorial districts were selected using simple random sampling techniques. Cluster sampling was used to select 720 out of 2445 Education officers from level 10 to level 17 from the Ministries of education, departments and agencies. Purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of 330 secondary schools’ principals. The data were analysed using percentage scores, the Relative Importance Index (RII) and multiple regression analysis. All hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. The findings showed that financial resources accounted for 95% (R2 = 0.949) variation in strategic plan implementation in South-western states ministry of education in Nigeria, leadership variables accounted for 97% of the variation in strategic plan implementation in South-western state of Nigeria. There was significant influence of financial resources on internal efficiencies (R2=0.368). There was significant influence of leadership capacity on internal efficiencies (R2=0.383) significant influence of staff capacity on internal efficiencies which also accounted for 37%. The study concluded that moderate strategic plan implementation in state ministries of education would improve internal efficiency in South-western Nigeria.