| dc.description.abstract | Succession management has not been a distinct initiative undertaken by educational organization their strategic planning. The former has been clearly established in several high profile schools ensure smooth transition of leadership. From several literatures, proponents of strategic planning have called for organizations to seriously consider succession management and planning as an indispensable initiative. This is because it promotes a clear vision of shared values, personnel efficiency and effectiveness and institutional credibility. Therefore, it was undertaken by the educational organization as it promotes positive outlook within. Subsequently, acts to provide motivational booster for the workers as in talent pooling, customers' satisfaction due to institutional effectiveness and the organization competent management at large. This study aimed at assessing the effects of strategic succession management on academic performance in secondary schools in Busia district. The specific objectives were to; analyze factors that influence succession decisions among secondary schools in Busia district, determine succession management plans used for secondary schools in Busia district, T.S.C policy on transfer of heads and determine how strategic succession management approaches affect academic performance in secondary schools in Busia district. The design for the study was a survey of schools in Busia district. The population for the study was 18 secondary schools in Busia district from which a purposive sample of 4 secondary schools was selected. A purposive sample of one high profile performing school in Bungoma was selected. Sampling of schools here transition of principalship in Busia was done. Purposive sampling was very useful in this situation where the researcher needed to reach a targeted sample quickly and where sampling for proportionality was not the primary concern. From each of the sample schools 8 officials from the Board of Governors were selected purposively for the study, The B.O.G chairperson, chair person academic, BOG secretary, 2 educationists and 2 parent representative (members of A representative) and the sponsor were selected. The DEO, 2 sponsors (ACK and catholic), chairman district heads association, KUPPET chairperson, KNUT chairperson, PDE and QASO were also selected for the study from the district education board. The data for the study collected using questionnaires and secondary data techniques. The data collected was analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics, where frequencies, percentages tables were used. The following findings; that academic performance in KCSE dropped in secondary schools in Busia whenever succession in principal ship occurred, indicated that there were incidences of implicated, and sometimes hostile, transitions to principal ship and support systems that were informal, arising out of previous relationships and the acumen of the new principal which presented more challenges in managing the transition thus affecting academic performance. Academic performance in the high profile school was maintained even after succession. Based the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made all school stakeholders should be involved in succession, succession should be based on performance as its objective and schools should endeavor to consider succession management in their strategic planning. | en_US |
