the extent and practice of total quality management in secondary schools in kenya: a study of secondary schools in eldoret east district

Abstract

This study investigated the extent and practice of Total Quality Management in secondary schools in Eldoret East District. The concept of Total Quality Management is a relatively new tool of management in schools in Kenya. It is a modern management practice aimed at continuous improvement of skills, processes, products and services, quality and teamwork. Secondary schools in Kenya are managed by Board of Governors and Principals on behalf of the Ministry of Education. These schools are different with different resources. Given similar resources, different schools perform differently in national examinations administered by Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). This is attributed to the management practices in each individual school. The Ministry of Education conducts induction courses for new principals and Board of Governors for capacity building but this does not make the performance of schools with the same resources to be similar. The study sought to determine the role of training in the implementation of Total Quality Management, assess the role of heads of department in improvement of quality and standards and investigate the challenges facing implementation of Total Quality Management in secondary schools. The research was premised on the systems theory of organization. This theory states that schools operate as systems with many parts which are interdependent. In the investigation, a survey research design was adopted. The study utilized the stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected using questionnaires. The respondents were Principals, Directors of Studies and Heads of Departments. A total of 15 secondary schools in Eldoret East District participated in the study. Data from the field was analyzed using descriptive statistical methods such as frequencies and percentages. Tables, graphs and pie charts were used for presentation and interpretation of data. The investigation established that implementation of Total Quality Management is faced with many challenges such as lack of commitment by the staff, poor organizational culture, lack of adequate training and poor documentation. The researcher recommends that all stakeholders in a school, like Board of Governors, Principals, Heads of Department and teachers among others and the Ministry of Education should work together to enhance the implementation of Total Quality Management in schools. This is because each one of them has a role to play in improvement of quality and standards in a school. The realization of quality in secondary education therefore requires a collective approach with emphasis on service delivery which should be evaluated from time to time so as to minimize on the challenges.