Abstract:
This study assessed the impact of human resource planning on improving the delivery of
secondary education services in Misungwi District Council. Misungwi District Council is facing
the problem of shortage of human resources in public schools. Specifically, the study
determined human resource planning practices for secondary education delivery, role of
human resource planning practices secondary education service delivery, challenges that
affect human resource planning for secondary education delivery, and strategies for improving
human resource planning practices in Misungwi District Council. The study employed a mixed
method case study design. The study involved a sample size of 83 respondents who included
human resource (n= 3), head teachers (n=35), ward executive officers (n=22), and ward
education officers (n=23). Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews.
Questionnaire data were analyzed through descriptive and regression statistics while interview
data were analyzed through content analysis. The study findings confirmed five human
resource planning practices at Misungwi District Council. They included preparation of human
resource inventory, conducting needs assessment, inclusion of human resource needs in
budget plans, placing teachers based on needs of schools, and forecasting future
requirements. The study findings revealed most of the surveyed respondents strongly
indicated that that human resource planning has not enhanced equitable distribution of
teachers, completion of syllabus on time, reduction of costs in hiring part time teachers, and
teacher motivation. The study findings showed that human resource planning is affected by
several challenges such as shortage of budget, lack of involvement of head teachers in HRP
decision making, lack of teachers‟ awareness regarding human resource planning, and lack of
autonomy in making HR decisions, lack of commitment and lack of skills in HR planning. The
study identified five strategies, including timely disbursement of education grant, allocation of
sufficient budget to human resource planning, involvement of head teachers in decision
making, sufficient autonomy in human resource management, and provision of training in
human resource planning. The study concludes that improvement of secondary education
delivery requires improvement of human resource planning practices. The study recommends
allocation of sufficient financial resources in implementing human resource plans.
