Strategic Planning in Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Problems in the educational system must be addressed immediately given their adverse effects on school operations. In dealing with these matters, strategic planning plays a vital role in creating a specific plan of action to overcome organizational issues. Thus, this systematic review explored the various literature on strategic planning in education through the PRISMA framework. Studies included in this review are focused on the challenges, processes, and impact of strategic planning in educational institutions written in the English language and conducted between 2020 and 2022 from Google Scholar. Out of 131 records identified from database searching, fifteen articles from eight countries revealed three themes for the challenges of strategic planning, namely: lack of knowledge and skills in strategic planning, improper conduct of strategic planning, and low level of stakeholder involvement in strategic planning. The analysis also showed three themes for the process of strategic planning, namely: considering organizational vision, mission, goals, and objectives, involving stakeholders in strategic planning, and evaluating the internal and external environment. Finally, the two themes about the impact of strategic planning are gaining a competitive advantage and determining the organization's present and future course. These findings necessitate the conduct of strategic planning to improve educational organization. However, schools had trouble conducting it properly. Therefore, future researchers may explore more strategies to overcome the said problems. They can also delve into issues, perspectives, and techniques of strategic planning during the implementation of a full face-to-face learning modality to examine challenges and adjustments of plans amidst transition.