Role of Institutional Managers in Quality Assurance: Reflections on Kenya’s University Education

Abstract

Universities are accountable to the stakeholders. To justify their continued existence, the managers of these universities need to guarantee the public that the institutions they lead offer quality teaching, research and community service. The study investigated how effectively university managers have played their role in quality assurance. The results indicated that private universities performed better than public universities in management of quality education. However, public and private universities suffered from interference by political and religious patronage. The other barrier to provision of effective management for quality assurance among Kenyan public and private universities was found to be negative ethnicity and nepotism. Kenyan public universities suffered from insufficient teaching and learning resources and a leadership that did not satisfactorily engage its stakeholders in decision making. It was recommended that managers of the universities should deliberately take short term leadership courses to boost their managerial skills as a significant step towards delivery of quality education. The skills acquired should be sufficient to respond to the challenges of quality education bedeviling the universities.

Influence of Lecturers’ Preparedness on Examination Setting Techniques and Quality of Examinations in Public Universities in Kenya

“…The validity theory was also violated due to absence of the marking scheme, required for use during moderation to validate the question answers responses adequacy and weight. This too was not on agreement with the internal university ISO-Standard Operating Procedures as documented neither as given in a strategic plan (Eucharia, 2012;Gudo et al,2011).…”

“…However there is a widespread perception of a decline in the quality of university examinations in Kenya due to inappropriate test setting procedures (Sifuna, 2010;Muoki, 2011;Kimotho, 2011;Obwogi, 2011;Mwalw'a, 2013;Mbirithi, 2013;Munene, 2013, Mathooko, 2013Mokamba, 2015). It seems that there is inadequate knowledge on administrative procedures and guidelines on setting examinations (Gudo et al, 2011;Nyangau, 2014;Waithaka, 2015;Munene, 2016). These studies focused on the role of institutional managers in quality assurance and institutional response to globalization in higher education.…”

“…The major purpose of examinations is to support the teaching and learning process, but some forms of examinations can clearly impede deep learning. If the examination stresses understanding and critical approaches to learning, it is likely that students would adopt deep approaches to learning (Gudo, Oanda & Olel, 2011). Hargreaves (2011), Aguirre and De Cadiz (2011) have emphasized that credible assessment through examination and accreditation of curricula would usher in programs for students that would enable them to acquire specialized skills suited to the demands of various industries.…”

6 - Leadership in Kenyan Public Universities and the Challenges of Autonomy and Academic Freedom: An Overview of Trends Since Independence

“…Opportunities to organize events, participate in student leadership and others, whether successfully or otherwise, build resilience, autonomy and confidence, and enhance independence and effectuation behaviour. Inadequate involvement of staff and students in decision making have impacted negatively on the quality of teaching and learning in public universities and, to some extent, in private universities (Gudo, Oanda and Olel 2011).…”

JHEA, Volume 12, n°1, 2014 - Full Issue

“…University leadership in Kenya has enthralled and fascinated a number of scholars (see Gudo, Oanda & Olel 2011;and Sifuna 1998). While focus has been on general university management, academic deanship remains one of those rare topics that have not attracted proper scientific study.…”