CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL PLANNING

The chapter introduces students to the concepts, principles, history and rationale of educational
planning.
Objectives.
It is expected that by the end of the chapter the learner should be able to:
1. Define educational planning.
2. Describe the characteristics of educational planning
3. Outline the principles of educational planning.
4. Discuss the rationale of educational planning.
5. Describe the development of educational planning in Kenya in the historical context.

1.1 Definition of Educational Planning.

According to Coombs, (1970), education planning is the application of rational systematic

analysis to the process of educational development with the aim of making education more
effective and efficient in responding to the needs and goals of students and society.

As a rational process, educational planning should be carried out by planners who have the
capacity to critically and creatively think about educational problems.

It’s concerned with social goals, means to achieve goals as well as the processes and controls of
the learning activities. It’s also concerned with conceptual designing on which future decisions
and actions by groups concerning education may be made.

The term systematic analysis implies that the development of education should be done in an
orderly manner. Planning should be part of the whole process of education management. It can
inform decisions at all levels right from what is done in the classroom by teachers to the national
ministers and parliament. A systematic analysis helps each person involved in the process to
have a clear perception of the specific objectives under consideration, the options available and
the possible implications.

The planning process should make education more effective in order to yield high productivity in
the education system. This calls for quality education to be provided to individuals to avoid the
problem of educated unemployment while attaining other set goals. This can be achieved through
a better curriculum, better distribution of educational facilities and human resources.

The educational planning process aims at making education more efficient to attain higher
aggregate results within the limits of available financial, material and human resources.

Educational planning aims at making education responsive to the dynamic needs of students and
society. Planners must look at the present state of the society, where it hopes to go, what it will
require in terms of education to reach there, the nature of the students, their aspirations and
practical prospects, the state of knowledge and skills within the curriculum, the technologies
available and the inherent ability of the education system to examine itself critically and take
intelligent actions to improve its own performance.

1.2 Characteristics of educational planning.

The following are the main characteristics of educational planning:

1. Choice of Best Alternative: Modern educational planning is a logical systematic and

scientific process different from the elementary kinds of procedure utilized in the past of
bringing about changes in the systems of education. Earlier ad hoc decisions were taken
by the administrators to solve immediate problems faced by them.
2. Team Work: Planning should be a responsibility of all people concerned with the
desired change. A team of experts, responsible people and those who are to implement
the plan should determine the goals and appropriate ways of attaining them.
3. Social and Economic Goals: Modern educational planning emphasizes that the goals of
a democratic society should be social and economic concerned with the welfare and
progress of all citizens rather than the selfish goals of some special interest groups. The
expected goals of the society and needs of children and young pupils in the schools and
colleges should be the broad frame of reference.
4. Co-operation: Modern educational planning emphasizes involvement of representatives
of most of the concerned sectors of the society in the process of planning. Co-operative
planning is considered an important principle of planning in all fields.
 5. Anticipation: Modern educational planning anticipates probable developments and
needed change in future, much ahead of time so that proper facilities, supporting media
and required resources for implementing the planned change may be secured.
6. Remedial Measures: With appropriate planning procedures it is possible to identify
maladjustments or deficiencies in the system that cause educational problems. Identifying
cause of the educational problems and suggesting relevant solution is the main objective
of educational planning.
7. Scientific Changes: Modern educational planning carefully and objectively collects data,
interprets and analyses inter-relationships between present and future needs. It also
interprets inter-relatedness of the various components of the social and educational
system.

1.3 Principles of Educational Planning:

 The following are the principles upon which educational planning is founded:
 Educational planning must be one aspect of general national planning.
 Research-based planning based on system analysis.
 Planning must be a continues process.
 Planning should find a definite place in educational organization.
 Planning should take into consideration resources and establish conditions of work.
 Planning must be realistic and practical.
 Planning must involve active and continuing participation of all interested individuals
and groups.
 The content and scope of planning should be determined by the needs of the individuals
and groups to be served.
 Planning should utilize the services of specialists without allowing them to dominate.
 Planning should provide opportunity for all persons and groups to understand and
appreciate the plans.
 Planning should provide for continuous evaluation.
 Planning should have opportunity for modification for further action.
1.4 Rationale for Educational Planning.

The dynamic nature of the society, developments and growing complexity of education systems
make educational planning absolutely necessary. The society confronts problems like population
explosion, varying aspirations of sections of the society, man-power needs, mismatch between
educational output (graduates) and skills demands of the economy, dwindling resources,
ecological imbalances and disastrous application of scientific developments.

These problems demand for solutions from the education system of a country. Education
planning thus becomes important due to the following reasons:

i) It ensures success of education institutions by clarifying goals and means to attain

them in consideration of issues, conditions, constraints and factors in education.
ii) Planning explores possible alternatives and optimum utilization of limited resources.
iii) Effective and efficient planning saves time, effort and money.
iv) It provides coordination as a means to achieve pre-determined purposes.
v) Education is a public service on demand and supplied by the government, hence
necessary to plan to fit into other public sectors of the economy.
vi) Serves as guideline for monitoring educational activities.
vii) Provides a basis for re-examination and refinement of educational objectives and
goals.
viii) Provides a means of continuous review of education.

1.5 Brief Historical Perspectives of Educational Planning in Kenya.

Education Planning in Kenya has been a systematic process since independence through
commissions, presidential working parties and policy guidelines. At independence the newly
independent nation was confronted with the huge challenge of mapping out reconstruction
strategies, laying ground for national unity and developing manpower in the various sectors of
the economy. The colonial racial policy of education had generated a lasting demand for
education in a free state.
The government formed the Ominde Commission to formulate a new education policy for
Kenya. The commission proposed an education that would foster national unity and creation of
sufficient human capital for national development. The Sessional Paper no. 10 of 1965 on
African socialism and its application to planning in Kenya formerly adopted the Ominde Report
as a basis for the post-independent educational development.

Several education commissions that were later formed recommended major reviews that defined
education changes in Kenya. These include;

i) The report of the national committee on educational objectives and policies (The
Gachathi Report, 1976), which focused on the redefining Kenya’s educational
policies and objectives, giving consideration to national unity, and the social,
economic and cultural aspirations of the people of Kenya.
ii) The report of the Presidential working Party on the Establishment of the 2nd
University in Kenya (The Mackay Repot (1981) lead to the removal of the advanced
level of education, establishment of 8.4.4 system of education and expansion of other
post-secondary training institutions, lead to establishment of Moi University and the
Commission of Higher Education.
iii) The Report of the Presidential Working Party on Education and Manpower Training
for the next decade and beyond (The Kamunge Report, 1988), focused on improving
education financing quality and relevance. This lead to the introduction of the policy
of cost sharing between the government, parents/guardian and the communities.
iv) The Commission of Inquiry into the Education system of Kenya (The Koech Report,
2000), was mandated to recommend ways and means of enabling the education
system to facilitate national unity, mutual social responsibility, accelerated industry
and technological development, life-long learning and adaptation in response to
changing circumstances. It recommended Totally Integrated Quality Education and
Training (TIQET).
v) Recent Policy Initiatives have focused on the attainment of Education for All (EFA)
and in particular the Universal Primary Education (UPE). The key concerns are
equity, quality, effectiveness, relevance and efficiency within the education system.
 vi) In the year 2003, the NARK Government, introduced the Free Primary Education and
Free Day Secondary Education in the year 2005. This was maintained and scaled up
by the Jubilee Government which came to power in 2013.
vii) More recently, in 2010 a task force was formed to align education with the
Constitution, 2010 and Kenya Vision 2030. It recommended a more flexible and
comprehensive education system curriculum review in a departure from the 8-4-4
system to 2-6-6-3 structure and the competence based curriculum an assessment. The
ongoing reforms envisages a curriculum that successively develops the knowledge,
skills, competencies, as well as lifelong learning dispositions of its citizens to meet
the human capital needs of the country.

Any meaningful education reforms must promote peaceful and just co-existence of the
multiethnic nature of the Kenyan society as well as address the development aspirations as
contained in the country’s Vision 2030 and future plans.