One of the primary and most important service industries in the public sector and communities is education. It is the quality of education that forms an enduring wealth and security of the societies and their people (Babbar, 1995). During the last two decades, the preservation of high quality and standards in education has become a major concern for educational institutions and the government. Consequently, the demand for explicit quality evaluation and assurance processes has been increased rapidly. The enormous funds which the government allocates to this sector makes it very important for those who manage education to ensure that the quality of education imparted in schools and other institutions of learning is of the required standard. During the 2012-2013 financial year, the government allocated Ksh 200 billion to the Ministry of Education in the budget (2012-2013 budget, GOK, 2012). This paper examines the challenges facing the implementation of Total Quality Management in Schools. The overall aim of this study was to evaluate the extent to which Total Quality Management principles are practiced in secondary schools in Eldoret East District.The study was carried out in Eldoret East District, Kenya. The study employed use of a survey research design and utilized the stratified random sampling technique for data collection. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaires and document analysis. The target populations used were principals, directors of studies and heads of departments of the selected schools. A total of 15 secondary schools in Eldoret East District participated in the study. The findings of the study revealed a number of challenges in the implementation of TQM as; Lack of commitment by the management and some staff members, Organizational culture in the school, Poor documentation, Insufficient training of key team players, Ineffective communication. The study is aimed at giving Academic scholars and implementers a practical view of the implementation process of Total Quality Management with the involved loophole. Those who wish to further their education will find new information, which will contribute to the building of their scholarly abilities and growth. It also gives a model to minimize these challenges.
Keywords: Challenges, Implementation, Secondary Schools, Total Quality Management (TQM)
