THE STRATEGIC RESPONSE TO SOCIAL CHANGES BY CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NAIROBI, KENYA

Abstract

ABSTRACT strategic responses are the set of decisions and actions that result in the formulationand implementation of plans designed to achieve a firm’s objectives. It is thus a reaction to what ishappening in the organization’s environment as part of competitive strategies that organizationsdevelop in defining their goals and policies. The external environment is the set of variables as inthe PEST analysis that is political, economic, social and technological. The social dimensioncaptures how consumers in households and/or communities behave and their beliefs. For instance,change in attitude towards formal education, or greater numbers of people seeking formal jobplacements in a population. In particular, businesses are influenced by consumer attitude andbehavior which depend on such factors as age, structure of population and nature of job andleisure, which are in turn influenced by available disposable income and upcoming needs in thewider system, continued positive attitude and acceptability towards formal education and formaljobs. These are characterized by growing competition and available opportunities in the jobmarket, changing life styles from rural and farming to urban and formal jobs. Another key factor isthe HIV and Aids pandemic that has left orphans who need help to make a livelihood. This calls fora strategic response to all these social changes. The research design that was used was crosssectional survey in which a statistically significant sample of a population is used to estimate therelationship between an outcome of interest and population variables as they exist at one particulartime. The sampling technique was stratified samples, with geographical divisions forming thestrata. The sample consisted of 20% of all secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Nairobi. Thiswas a total of 19 schools, 5 in Nairobi, 7 in Kiambu, and 7 in Thika/Gatundu. The data type that theresearch collected was qualitative data from the category questions that sought to get therespondents response to questions on the variables. The research also had quantitative data,answers to variables like number of intake, increase in numbers in formal education, costs, andincrease in enrollment of other religions in the schools. The questionnaire were administered to theprincipal/ Head Teacher; the deputy head teacher; one member of the teaching staff and the head ofthe guidance and counseling department. The objective of this study was to determine the strategicresponse to social changes by Catholic secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Nairobi over thelast ten years. From the findings, yes the Catholic secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Nairobihave responded to the social changes in the environment in a strategic manner. They havecontinuously expanded to accommodate more students; new schools have also been built to caterfor growing numbers seeking formal education. The schools have also made the performance in thestandard eight national exams the main focus when admitting students which gives moreopportunity to all who qualify. The schools have also been admitting students regardless of religionor family income and supporting them uniformly. The guidance and counseling, religious formationin school and HIV programs have been implemented to enhance an all-round development of theyoung student. Majority of the schools have orphans or even HIV infected students they aresupporting since this is a reality affecting all organization with these institutions of learning not exempted. The study recommendations to policy include; To the ministry of education; from thestipulated recommendations the teacher: student ratio should be 1:30. The study however found thisratio to be 1: 45 on average in a majority of schools. More teachers need to be trained anddeployed to these institutions; To the government through the ministry of education; there is need towork on national cohesion by sending students from different cultural backgrounds to same schoolswhich will contribute to cohesion and respect and acceptance across cultures; To the school heads,parents and the education secretariat; more needs to be done in reaching out to the studentsespecially helping build a moral fabric. The dropout rate is quite high with an average of 65% ofform one enrolment getting to sit the form four final examinations