The Challenges of Infusing Total Quality Management in Kenyan Public University System

Abstract

Today, the world's workplace is becoming increasingly geographically fluid across national, regional and international borders due to economic globalization and the development of advanced communications and information technologies. In this context, knowledge has emerged as an economic commodity which has in turn placed pressure on existing national systems to ensure they are placed competitively in the international marketplace. Therefore, qualitative higher education is especially acknowledged as a vital driving force for the socioeconomic growth and technological development of nations. There is currently a strong move throughout developed countries towards having rigorous, internationally recognized higher education quality assurance processes. Many countries have taken steps to establish mechanisms for quality assurance in higher education. According to Whitely (2001), quality assurance in education has become an all-embracing concept that includes all policies, processes and actions through which the quality of education provided is developed and maintained. For the Kenyan University to fulfill its mission, it must devise ways of reversing the downward spiral in the quality of knowledge it produces and the services it delivers to its stakeholders and society at large. It must rediscover ways of achieving quality and sustaining it. This therefore, is the epicenter of this paper. It will examine the concept of quality assurance, its scope and the factors militating against quality assurance within Kenya's public university landscape. Suggestions are put across as a way forward and recommend adoption of Total Quality Management approach as one of a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges of ensuring provision of quality higher education in the country.