Total quality management in secondary schools in Kenya: extent of practice
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880610703947 |
| Date | 01 October 2006 |
| Pages | 339-362 |
| Published date | 01 October 2006 |
| Author | Moses Waithanji Ngware,David Kuria Wamukuru,Stephen Onyango Odebero |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Total quality management in
secondary schools in Kenya:
extent of practice
Moses Waithanji Ngware
Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA),
Nairobi, Kenya, and
David Kuria Wamukuru and Stephen Onyango Odebero
Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya
Abstract
Purpose – To investigate the extent to which secondary schools practiced aspects of total quality
management (TQM).
Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional research design was used in this study. A
sample of 300 teachers in a residential session during a school holiday provided their perceptions on
the practice of TQM in their schools. Data were collected using a questionnaire.
Findings – Board of Governors and chairpersons in secondary schools are not providing the
necessary leadership that would promote TQM practices necessary for schools’ continuous
improvement. However, some head teachers are providing the required leadership with a considerable
number of school managements empowering their employees. The majority of schools are not
committed to strategic quality planning, though they do promote human resource development
initiatives.
Research limitations/implications – The study relied on an accessible sample of practising
teachers drawn from M.Ed and PGDE students on a one-month residential session in a public
University. There is likelihood that schools from all the regions of the country were not represented.
Practical implications – School management is expected to provide leadership that promotes TQM
practices in order to achieve set objectives. Empowered employees participate in decision-making and
are capable of increasing the quality of learning. Strategic quality planning is important for the
provision of quality services while human resource development is necessary in schools to motivate
and realise the maximum potential from employees.
Originality/value – The study provides research information on the Kenyan education system and
quantifies the extent to which it is being practiced.
Keywords Totalquality management, Secondaryschools, Leadership,Teachers, Empowerment,Kenya
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
According to Kaufman (1992) total quality management is defined as providing what is
required as judged by the client. It is accomplished through everyone in the
organisation being committed to achieving results, a passion for quality and decisions
based on performance data.
According to Caplan (1990), client satisfaction or dissatisfaction is based on the
degree to which outputs meet specifications of perceived quality. Output quality and
customer satisfaction are the vision for TQM. Satisfaction comes from everyone in the
organisation working constantly to achieve customer satisfaction. TQM emphasises
that it is important for all elements to fit together to turn raw materials into the
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0968-4883.htm
TQM in
secondary
schools
339
Quality Assurance in Education
Vol. 14 No. 4, 2006
pp. 339-362
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/09684880610703947
products and deliverables that satisfy clients. Customer satisfaction is the result most
addressed by TQM (Crosby, 1979; Caplan, 1990). It is geared towards clients’
perception and feelings about the outputs. That is, do they find them worthy? Will they
continue to be customers, or will they demand changes or take their business
elsewhere? The basic elements of TQM include: customer-oriented processes; an
organisational climate which supports continuous improvement towards perfection,
and; quality management function, which is not delegated (Kaufman, 1992).
TQM in education
In support of the TQM initiatives in education, Crawford and Shutler (1999) applied the
Crosby (1984) model to suggest a practical strategy for using TQM principles in
education. Their strategy focused on the quality of the teaching system used rather
than on students’ examination results. Crawford and Shultler ague that examinations
are a diagnostic tool for assuring the quality of the teaching system. To satisfy the
educational needs of students, continuous improvement efforts need to be directed to
curriculum and delivery services. From such a perspective, various root cause s of
quality system failure in education have been identified. These include poor inputs,
poor delivery services, lack of attention paid to performance standards and
measurements, unmotivated staff and neglect of students’ skills (Ali and Zairi, 2005).
One of the weaknesses of such a perspective is in its concentration on the student as a
customer whereas TQM in education should concern the customer beyond students.
Elsewhere, Dahlgaard et al. (1995) define total quality in education as educational
cultures characterised by incr eased customer satisfaction through continuous
improvements in which all employees and students participate actively.
Literature available point to a growing interest in applying TQM in education and
for a wide variety of reasons (Thakkar et al., 2006; Temponi, 2005; Cheng, 2003): Some
of the reasons include:
.pressures from industry for continuous upgrading of academic standards with
changing technology;
.government schemes with allocation of funds, which encourage research and
teaching in the field of quality;
.increasing competition between various private and government academic
institutions; and
.a reduction in the pool of funds for research and teaching, implying that only
reputable institutions will have a likely chance of gaining access to various
funds.
In the Kenya Education Master Plan for Education and Training 1997-2010 it is argued
that quality is not mere passing of examinations or certification, but the development
of independent, analytical, creative potential of the individual, including critical
imagination, spiritual and ethical values. It implies standard agreed criteria for
assessment (Government of Kenya, 1998). Saitoti (2003) posited that the major
determinants of quality education include curriculum content, relevant instructional
materials and equipment, physical facilities, conducive learning environm ents, the
quality of teaching force and assessment and monitoring of learning achievements.
Saitoti concurs with the Master Plan’s view that quality education should shift from
QAE
14,4
340
To continue reading
Request your trial