Quality Assurance

School Environment: Implication for Pedagogy and Quality Assurance in Social Studies Classroom in Nigeria (Published)

The study examined the influence of School Environment on academic achievement of secondary school students in Social Studies: its implication for pedagogy and Quality Assurance in Social Studies classroom in Ekiti State Nigeria. The study was a descriptive research design, comprised of all the secondary school students in Ekiti State as the population. The sample of 200 students was drawn from 10 schools in 2 local government Areas of Ado and Irepodun/Ifelodun, using the simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for the study was a self-designed questionnaire, validated by experts, with reliability coefficient of 0-90. Data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean and chi square for two research questions and two hypotheses. The findings revealed that the quality of the physical school environment with regard to school building and school facilities have significant effect on academic achievement of students in Social Studies classroom. Based on the findings of the study, the implication of good and rich school environment was discussed in line with Pedagogy and Quality Assurance. Recommendations were made to schools, and government at all levels.

Keywords: Pedagogy, Quality Assurance, School Environment, Social Studies

Contribution of Zonal Quality Assurers’ Feedback in Improving Secondary Schools Teachers’ Preparation of Professional Documents in Rombo District (Published)

This study investigated contribution of zonal quality assurers’ feedback in improving instruction in secondary schools in Rombo District. The study was guided by four research questions. Cross sectional survey design under quantitative approach used. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques used to select the sample of this study. Questionnaires, interview schedule and document analysis schedule were used during data collection process whereby the validity of the research instruments was ensured through the use of experts of Mwenge Catholic University. The researcher gives the instruments together with the research questions to two expects at MWECAU. Reliability of the instruments was ensured by using Cronbach’s alpha. Quantitative data is presented in tables and figures. The study found out that the QASOs feedback help teachers in developing creativeness and be innovative when teaching students. The findings revealed that teachers require the technical guidance and suggestions from quality assurance that are essential for enhancing their performance since they highlighted the strengths and limitations of certain teachers. The study found out that QASOs feedback improve teacher’s preparation of professional documents since help in delivering content knowledge for determining in large measure what goes on in a class and for assessing what students do and do not learn. Based on the findings it was concluded that report and recommendations from QASOs enabling teachers in developing creativeness and be innovative when teaching students. The researcher recommended that there is a need for the government through Ministry of Education Science and Education (MOEST) to employ more QASOs based on the number of secondary schools in the country.

Citation: Maryfaustina F. Urio, Catherine Muteti, Eugene Lyamtane (2022) Contribution of Zonal Quality Assurers’ Feedback in Improving Secondary Schools Teachers’ Preparation of Professional Documents in Rombo District, British Journal of Education, Vol.10, Issue 11, pp.14-28

Keywords: Feedback, Professional documents, Quality Assurance, Teaching and Learning Process

Internal and External Quality Assurance Practices as Predictors of Institutional Effectiveness of Public Universities in Cross River State, Nigeria (Published)

This study assessed internal and external quality assurance practices as determinants of institutional effectiveness of public universities in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study was intended to address two objectives, from which two null hypotheses were developed. Based on the descriptive survey research design, the census approach was used to study the whole population of 157 administrators (Deans and head of departments) in the two public universities in the study area. Quality Assurance Practices and Institutional Effectiveness Questionnaire (QAPIEQ) was the instrument utilized to collect data. Five experts validated the instrument while an overall Cronbach reliability rating of. 853 was obtained. Data were gathered from 132 respondents due to restrictions that prevented data collection from the targeted 157 respondents. Multiple regression analysis with R studio software version 3.6.0 was used to test the two null hypotheses at the .05 alpha level. Internal quality assurance processes have a substantial influence on university institutional effectiveness (R=.924, R2=.846, F=120.851, p.05), according to the findings. External quality assurance measures were also shown to have a significant influence (R=.792, R2=.782, F=79.100, p.05) on university institutional effectiveness. Based on these findings, it was concluded that internal and external quality assurance processes are critical components that can increase university institutional performance. It was suggested, among other things, that the Nigerian Institutions Commission (NUC) should ensure that accreditation visits are made to universities at least twice, in each academic session to verify the quality of courses and programs.

 

Keywords: External quality assurance, Practices, Public Universities, Quality, Quality Assurance, institutional effectiveness, internal quality assurance

Availability of Educational Resources for Quality Assurance in Secondary Schools (Published)

This work looked at the availability of educational resources for quality assurance in secondary schools. Educational resource is seen as the physical, material, human and financial inputs in the teaching-learning process. Quality is viewed as an accepted standard measure by which product are judge as fine enough for consumption. Quality assurance is termed as the processes and actions through which the quality of secondary education is maintained and developed. The work also examined the need for quality assurance in secondary schools, strategies for establishing quality assurance in education, quality assurance measures put in place to guarantee finesse of product, availability of facilities, instructional materials, human resources and financial resources that brings about quality assurance in secondary schools. The work revealed that physical facilities, teaching and non-teaching staff as well as instructional materials were highly insufficient. The study further revealed that annual subvention to schools was less than the amount required for the administration of the schools. Based on these findings, the work concluded that quality assurance in secondary schools is crippled by insufficient educational resources. Therefore, the work suggested among others that; government should increase the annual subventions to schools, parent teachers’ association and old students’ association should also be involved in the funding and maintenance of the school facilities, the ministry of education should have a unit whose duty is to monitor the funds available to avoid misappropriation.

Keywords: Assurance, Quality, Quality Assurance, annual subvention, educational resources, insufficient, secondary school and educational system.

Quality Assurance and Standards in Primary Education in Nigeria (Published)

Quality education in nation building is essential in any growing country like Nigeria. It is based on this background that this paper tries to examine the importance of quality assurance in our education system. It went further to x-ray the needs for quality assurance strategies for establishing quality assurance, the roles of educational managers in assuring quality education in Nigeria and challenges facing quality assurance, The paper also recommended that the government of Nigeria should formulate policy that will last for a long time concerning education system in the country, quality in education system should therefore focus on optimal development of skills, knowledge, values, attitudes, morals and capabilities of the recipients with emphasis on those relevant to the individual and the society and government should provide enabling environment for attaining of quality education in Nigeria.

Keywords: Primary Education, Quality Assurance, Standards

Accreditation Exercise as a Quality Assurance Instrument in the Management of Universities in the Rivers of Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges (Published)

Increasingly, university institution managers world-wide are seeking for more effective tools for managing their institutions in manners that would demonstrate application of common best practices and hence, gain higher ratings on performance standards. Accreditation exercises have therefore been conceived and are being implemented in Nigerian universities to maintain standards and assure quality in service delivery. This paper examined how far accreditation exercises in universities in Rivers State have contributed to the achievement of this feat and the challenges facing it. The survey involved all the Deans and heads of academic departments in federal and state universities in three sampled universities in Rivers State. The population of the study comprised 182 (25 HoDs and 157 Deans). One self-designed instrument titled Accreditation Exercise as a Quality Assurance Instrument Questionnaire (AEQAIQ). Face and content validities were ensured by experts. The reliability coefficient of 0.81 was established with the help of Cronbach Alpha. The data generated was analysed using mean statistics and independent sample t-test. The result revealed that accreditation exercises impacted moderately on curriculum harmonization, the provision of staff offices, libraries and the general institutional environment. The exercises however have minimal impact on the provision of equipments in laboratories and workshops. Poor funding, poor institutional data base and some lack of commitment to standards by university proprietors were identified as some of the challenges to achieving quality assurance from accreditation exercises. It was concluded that universities in the Rivers State of Nigeria have not sufficiently capitalized on their routine accreditation exercises to adequately assure quality in the delivery and management of university education. The need for university managers to be more pro-active in accreditation exercises and establish internal quality assurance framework to achieve quality in the management of these universities were recommended.

Keywords: Accreditation Exercise, Management of Universities, Quality Assurance

Implementing Quality and Accreditation in Higher Education in Five European Countries (Published)

The national Quality Assurance Agencies of most European countries have developed accreditation criteria considering the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG, 2015). The paper reports the findings of a comparative study of the national accreditation criteria for programme evaluation which are in use in five European countries, namely Greece, Denmark, Austria, Britain and Ireland. The official published documents available on the Agencies’ websites were reviewed and analyzed. The paper presents and discusses the variation of the criteria additions and omissions from the ESG model for each individual case. The reported comparisons show that a ‘general model’ is followed since the agencies of the five countries operate in substantial compliance with the ESG. However, each country places emphasis on different criteria.  

Keywords: European Standards and Guidelines, Higher Education, Quality Assurance, Quality Management, accreditation criteria, national systems