A critical assessment of quality assurance and standards on educational quality in secondary schools in the larger Mombasa district Kenya

Abstract

Quality Assurance and Standard in school is the process of bringing improvement in instruction and other schools general aspect through visits by Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASO'S) to individual schools. QASO'S were previously known as inspectors of schools under the department of inspectorate. The inspectorate was charged with the responsibility of ensuring that stcrdews in secondary schools receive quality education. Quality Assurance and Standards exercises arc carried out with legal authority granted through section 18. of the education Act (Cap 2l l ] of the laws of Kenya of 1968 and revised in 1980. Under this section the inspectorate department was established. QASO'S are mandated with the authority to enter and inspect any school or place at which it is reasonably suspected that a school is being conducted at anytimeor wi (bout notice and inspect accounting records and may temporally remove any books or record for the purpose of inspection. QASOs try to maintain standards through the process of supervision and inspection by providing advisory services to schools; monitors the curriculum implementation process, conduct remedial in-service courses for teachers, liaise with K.I.E to review curriculum, access staffing, enrolment of students, completion of students and examination performance (Republic of Kenya 2000). It is from this background that there is need to look at the effectiveness of supervision in secondary schools and how the supervisory activities are coordinated to enhance quality education. The main aim of this study was to find out the impact of QASO's in enhancing quality education in secondary schools in Mombasa District The study also investigated the challenges faced by QASO's in enhancing quality education. The research study used cross-sectional design. A sample of 5 QASOs, 15 principals and 75 teachers from the larger Mombasa District participated. The stud, used questionnaires Iron the respondents and descriptive statistics was used to analyze the presented data. However, there are numerous challenges facing quality assurance and standards in enhancing educational standards in the larger Mombassa District. Supervision of secondary schools was inadequate and the physical presence of QASO's has not effectively been felt in schools. This study has revealed that QASO's were faced with a number of challenges which included been seen as fault finders by teachers, lack of resources, finances, non-facilitation fi-orn office, inadequate personnel, lack of motivation, inhospitable teachers and limitation in movements. Both principals and teachers perceive QASO's to be relevant in enhancing quality education. However the QASO's did not visit schools regularly, only visited when there was need and did not give feedback to schools after inspections. Considering the limitations and the delimitations of the study, the researcher nude the following suggestions for further research. That a study on the effects of the role of QASO on academic performance should be conducted, an investigation on the role of supervision on school policy development should be carried out, a study on relationship between headteacher training and its effect on supervision of schools and a study on the relationship between QASO qualification and its effect on supervision on schools. A replication of the study was also recommended to confirm whether different research instruments would result to similar findings.