The role of quality assurance and standards officers in ensuring quality of education in primary schools in Kegogi Division, Kisii Central District

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to find out the role of Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs) in ensuring quality of education in Kegogi Division in Kisii Central district. Dismal performance in Kenya Certificate _of Primary Education (KCPE) necessited the interest of the researcher to have the role of Quality Assurance and Standards Officers in ensuring the Quality of education in question. The research sampled 12 primary schools out of 29 drawn from the three zones of Kegogi Division of Kisii Central district. Stratified sampling technique was applied to identify school according to criteria as type of schools. The schools were sampled as Girls Boarding, Boys Boarding and Mixed day schools. From each school the headteacher and four teachers were sampled yielding to 12 headteachers and 48 teachers. Among Ministry officials sampled were 2 Quality Assurance and Standard Officers from Kegogi Division. The entire sampling matrix yielded to a total sample size of 62 for the study. Three types of research instruments namely; Quality Assurance and Standard Assessment questionnaire for headteachers, Quality Assurance and Standard assessment questionnaire for teachers and interview schedule for Quality Assurance and Standard Officers. The researcher used descriptive statistics, frequency and percentages from respondents to provide information needed for the study. The research findings were; 1) Assessment of schools by Quality Assurance and Standard Officers is not regular. 2) Follow up assessment visits to schools by Quality Assurance and Standard Officers was rare and inadequate. 3. Most schools had started registering an improvement / upward trend in KCPE performance however the mean standard score for the division still remains low. The study recommends that; 1. Regular assessment atleast once a term together with follow-up assessment visit by QASOs should be stepped up inorder to ensure Quality of Education in primary schools. 2. Regular subject improvement enhancement seminars should be provided to the teachers to help equip them with emergent teaching strategies and modern trends in education. 3. Promotion of head teachers should be done on merit, experience and based on academic performance. This will go along way in motivating others for the same and hence promote educational standards. 4 More QASOs should be recruited by the ministry to ease the work load in their dairy discharge of duties