From induction to impact: The theory-anchored CIPP-Plus (TA-CIPP+) model for evaluating school leadership training programmes

Abstract

School leadership training has become a policy priority across Africa, yet the programmes that prepare principals are seldom evaluated with frameworks that are theory-driven, context-sensitive and oriented towards improvement. This paper documents, theorises and refines an evaluation model first developed and tested by Nyonje (2008) in the evaluation of the Kenya Education Staff Institute (KESI) Induction Course in Educational Management for Secondary School Principals (ICEMSSP). The original model adapted Stufflebeam’s Context–Input–Process–Product (CIPP) framework by anchoring its four stages in human capital theory and in systematic and blended training theory. Using a qualitative conceptual design, the paper combines documentary analysis of the original thesis with an integrative review of contemporary literature on programme evaluation and school leadership development. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to map the thesis findings onto the CIPP stages and to derive principles for refinement. The analysis shows that the theory-anchored model exposed the programme’s strengths, including improved principal performance across six management domains, as well as its weaknesses in resource-person selection, venue quality, training duration, content standardization, delivery methods and equitable access. Building on these lessons, the paper proposes the Theory-Anchored CIPP-Plus (TA-CIPP+) Model. The model retains a theory core, adds a fifth Impact and Sustainability stage and introduces two cross-cutting lenses, policy–governance and equity–inclusion, bound together by a continuous monitoring, evaluation and learning loop. It offers ministries, leadership institutes such as the Kenya Education Management Institute, universities and development partners a coherent tool for designing, monitoring and judging leadership programmes. Recommendations for adoption, capacity building and validation are provided.