Strategic planning in education involves three key stages: 1) System analysis which examines how the education system functions internally and externally. 2) Policy formulation which identifies strategic goals and methods based on issues identified. 3) Action planning which translates policies into specific, measurable actions including objectives, strategies, responsibilities and timelines. The strategic planning process helps ensure resources are used effectively to achieve educational goals and benefits for students, families and society.

1. Strategic Planning
in Education
Cristopher C. Midea
Reporter

2. Strategic Planning in Education
Planning
is a process whereby a direction is
mapped and then the ways and means for
following that direction are specified.
Plan
is the product of the planning
process and can be defined as a set of
decisions about what to do, why, and how
to do it.

3. Strategic Planning in Education
Reasons for Strategic Planning
• First, one may wish to plan and carry out all
the activities that people deem necessary,
but without achieving the ultimate goals and
results.
• Furthermore, more resources do not
necessarily stand for the best results. The
way one uses these resources can lead to
different levels of benefits and results.
• Thirdly, it has become more and more
difficult to plan everything one would wish to
do. One ought to make choices, often tough
ones, through a balanced decision-making,
tradeoffs across the education system and
through a consensus building process.

4. Strategic Planning in Education
The Strategic Management Cycle
INPUTS PROCESS RESULT
OUTPUTS
 teachers  throughput  enrolments
 graduates
instructional Input mix  learning
materials achievements
Move along to OUTCOMES
 equipment achieve the benefits for
result  students
 buildings  families
 society
FEEDBACK

5. EVALUATION
Monitoring Feedback
& Review
I
M
P A
L N
E A
M
The Strategic Management L
E
Cycle Y
N S
T I
A S
T
I
O
N
Appraisal
Operational PLANNING

6. Definitions of Planning
Operational Strategic
Planning Planning
Focus Routine activities Achieving goals
Purpose Achieving the best use Planning the best
of available resources courses of action
Rewards Efficiency, stability Effectiveness,
impact
Information Present situation Future
opportunities
Problem Relies on past Finds new ways
Solving experience and alternatives

7. Strategic Planning in Education
Three Stages of Strategic Planning
3.
2.
ACTION
PLANNING
POLICY
1. FORMULATION
SYSTEM ANALYSIS

8. Strategic Planning in Education
Three Stages of Strategic Planning
1. SYSTEM
ANALYSIS
Sector analysis consists of
conducting data collection on and
critical analysis of how the education
system functions (internal dynamics)
and examining various contextual
factors (the environment of the
system).

9. Aspects to be considered in ESA
• Macro-economic and socio-
demographic frameworks
• Access to and participation in
education
• Equity
• Quality and relevance of education
• External efficiency
• Costs and financing in education
• Managerial and institutional aspects

10. Strategic Planning in Education
Three Stages of Strategic Planning
2. POLICY FORMULATION
Critical analysis of the educational
system undertaken during the sector analysis
leads to questions about what the education
sector must do in order to address the major
issues, challenges and opportunities. These
questions include what overall results
(strategic goals) the system should achieve
and the overall methods (or strategies) to
implement policies.

11. Threefold Dimensions in
Education Policies
 Access
- access, participation, including gender and
equity issues
 Quality
- quality, internal efficiency, relevance and
external effectiveness
 Management
- governance, decentralization, resource
management

12. Indicatives in an Educational Policy
and the implementation Strategies:
 Access to and participation in education
 Equity and the reduction of disparities in terms of
genders, regional, rural/urban and social disparities
 Quality and the relevance of education at different
levels of education
 The place that the private sector and local groups
occupy in the organization of education
 Regulation of student flow
 Institutional aspects such as governance,
management and planning
 Partnership and communication between actors and
partners, the level and forms of participation and
communication
 Cost control in reccurent and capital expenditure
 Mobilize resources in connection with decentralization

13. Strategic Planning in Education
Three Stages of Strategic Planning
3. ACTION
PLANNING
Action planning is a process whereby
one translates the policy directions into
executable, measurable and accountable
actions. In a broader sense, action planning
includes specifying objectives, outputs,
strategies, responsibilities and timelines
(what, what for, how, who and when).