Quality Assurance in Ghanaian Higher Education Institutions: Opportunities and Constraints

Authors

Joshua Alabi
Goski Alabi 
Richard Adjei 
Paul Dzandu 
Godwin Utuka 
Abdulai Munkaila 

Keywords:

Quality, Assurance, Ghanaian, Higher Education, Institutions, (HELP), Opportunities, Constraints, Comparability

Synopsis

This work examines quality assurance processes and practices in Higher Education Institutions in Ghana, using a mixed method approach, which combined surveys, reviews and expert interviews of past and present quality assurance directors. Ten universities were studied. The results demonstrate that quality assurance at higher institutions of learning in Ghana employ both internal and external quality assurance mechanisms. The external factors promoting quality assurance practices identified include accreditation, affiliation and institutional academic audits, while internal factors include strong leadership commitment for quality, strong vision and communication of the need for quality, the existence of a clear and well-communicated quality policy, reliable information management and documentation system, a structured Quality Management System, the willingness of people to accept the cultural changes that come with quality assurance practices, people seeing quality assurance as an improvement and not a policing activity, training in quality, affiliation, professional bodies’ standards and norms, institutional self-monitoring and evaluation. Constraining factors include: low capacity in quality management, centralisation of the NAB, quality mindedness of community members, information management, quality of academic staff and staff skills mix, absence of Quality Assurance Frameworks or Guidelines and absence of Labour market information, funding for Quality assurance, inadequate facilities, hiring practices, affiliation, work load, lack of teaching and learning training requirements for higher education institutions in Ghana.

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Author Biographies

Joshua Alabi

is a Russia-trained Ghanaian academic and politician who served as the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) from 2012 to 2016.

Goski Alabi 

is an accomplished academic, practitioner and entrepreneur with experience in academia, consultancy, and regulations. She is a Professor of Quality Management and Leadership.

Richard Adjei 

has extensive experience in accreditation and quality assurance management in higher education. Until his retirement in 2016, he worked as Deputy Executive Secretary and Head of the Quality Assurance Department of the National Accreditation Board, Ghana.

 

Paul Dzandu 

served as Deputy Executive Secretary at National Council for Tertiary Education in Ghana.

 

Godwin Utuka 

is a higher education management and Quality assurance specialist. He served as educational Administrator with the Office of Pro-Vice Chancellor, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, from where he obtained a PhD in Education.

 

Abdulai Munkaila 

is a Lecturer in the Department of Business Administration at the Faculty of Management Studies and also a Coordinator of the Centre for International Education and Collaboration (CIEC) at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.

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September 24, 2019

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