Rainwater Harvesting as a Strategic Planning Management of COVID-19 Pandemic among Public Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Abstract

This study explored rainwater harvesting as strategic planning management of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Secondary Schools in Tanzania. The study was carried out in Dodoma Region, Tanzania. It adopted a mixed research method by employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches under the cross-sectional research design.  The study involved a sample of 66 out of 191 heads of public secondary schools, selected through simple random sampling and 14 student leaders who were purposely selected. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while a semi-structured interview was used to collect qualitative data. The study established that most public secondary schools had a strategic management plan. However, only a few had a specific goal on rainwater harvest strategies as a reliable source of water during rainy seasons. Heads of schools appreciated the convivial role of rainwater harvesting for their institutions. Lack of funds and poor innovation from school management teams (SMTs) were among the main challenges for the establishment of rainwater harvesting in some schools. The study recommends that there is a need to conduct regular reviews and revisits to maintain flexible institutional strategic plans to some contemporary issues like pandemics. Second, school management teams (SMTs) should promote rainwater harvesting, which is known for being a cheap, affordable technology and an environmentally friendly water supply system. Third, the Tanzanian Government authorities, development partners and other stakeholders should support the public secondary schools to adopt the affordable rainwater-harvesting technology. Finally, educational institutions should build the capacity of their managers on strategic planning management skills for better planning and execution of their goals and for organizational wellbeing improvement.