Assessment of Quality Assurance Practices in Secondary Schools in Awka South L.G.A. of Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed quality assurance practices in secondary schools in Awka South L.G.A. of Anambra State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study.  This study adopted an evaluative study design. The population comprised sixty-six secondary schools in Awka south Local Government Area, Anambra state having 66 principals and 11 external evaluators from the PPSMB making a total number of 77 staff. The entire 77 respondents made up the sample size. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire titled ‘Quality Assurance Practices Questionnaire (QAPQ) designed by the researchers. The instrument had two sections, ‘A & B’. Section ‘A’ was designed to collect the demographic information of respondents, while Section ‘B’ comprised questionnaire items structured based on the variables of the study. The instrument was validated and the reliability tested with Crombach Alpha to ascertain the internal consistency, which yielded a reliability index of 0.87. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while z-test was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 significant level. The findings revealed among others that, the strategies of managing teaching staff for enhanced quality performance in secondary schools in Awka South Local Government Area Anambra State, Nigeria include: ensuring functional guidance and counseling units in schools increases the quality of job performed by teachers, maintaining high standards of discipline among staff in schools promotes organizational quality, ensuring quality assurance mechanisms in schools by the principals  to enhance teachers’ job performance, and maintaining free flow of information between school administration and subordinates to establish quality job performance among teachers. The test of hypothesis showed that, there is no significant difference between the mean scores of principals and evaluators on the strategies of managing teaching staff for enhanced quality performance in secondary schools in Awka South Local Government Area Anambra State, Nigeria. Based on the findings, recommendations were made.