Competitive Strategies Adopted by Kitui High School, Kenya

Abstract

This study examined competitive strategies adopted by secondary schools in Kenya to achieve good performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination. The study was based on two theories; Porter’s Theory of Competitive Advantage and the Resource Based View. The objective of this study was to determine the competitive strategies adopted by Kitui High School. Primary data was collected using an interview guide. The data was collected from 9 respondents which included a board member, deputy principals, heads of department, parent and student leaders. The data was then analyzed using content analysis and the Gioia methodology. The findings of the study were that the school utilized differentiation, focus, cost leadership and resource-based strategies to achieve performance. The school analyzes and monitors performance of individual students using technology then comes up with a way forward. In case the cause of drop in performance is mental health issue, peer counsellors and guidance and counselling departments help the student to have peace of mind. Teachers give attention to weak students and offer them extra classes, extra homework, books and revision materials. The school gives attention to needy students by paying school fees for some of them and informing them about bursaries so that they can apply for them. The school motivates teachers to offer the best services by giving them tokens to teach remedial classes and also giving them tokens when students get good grades in KCSE. The school ensures that student utilize its library, science laboratories and Computer laboratory to get good grades. The study recommends further research on competitive strategies applied by other public secondary schools to achieve performance, Comparative studies between strategies adopted by public secondary schools and private secondary schools to achieve performance, Comparative studies between schools that have had good consistent performance and schools that have not had a consistent performance.