INSPECTORATE SERVICE OF EDUCATION UNIT AND QUALITY CONTROL IN EDUCATION

INSPECTORATE SERVICE OF EDUCATION UNIT AND QUALITY CONTROL IN EDUCATION DISTRICT VI OF LAGOS STATE

ABSTRACT

The study examined Inspectorate Service of Education Unit and Quality Control in Public Secondary Schools in Education District VI of Lagos State. The purpose of the study was to assess the extent to which Lagos State Educational Inspectorate has been effective in its role as an agent of quality control in secondary schools in Lagos State. Four research questions and four research hypotheses were postulated to guide the hypotheses investigation that followed. A structured questionnaire validated and found reliable was used for data collection. A sample of 300 respondents consisting of State Inspectors, Principals, Vice Principals, Teachers, Ministry of Education Officials and Students were used for the study. Data collected were analysed by using chi-square statistics. The result of the analysis revealed that (1) there was significant relationship between the effects of school supervision and academic performance of students. (2) There was significant relationship between the relevant strategies employed by the Inspectors and school system. (3) The roles of the principals have significant impact on the school supervision. (4) There was significant relationship between the Inspectors hindrance to schools supervision and quality assurance in schools. Based on the findings, the study recommended that various tiers of government should formulate clear policies on students enrolment, funding and provision of facilities as well as quality assurance. The study therefore concluded that teachers and Inspectors should be mandated to attend regular trainings, workshops and conferences to improve their supervision skills.  

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

This study intends to investigates the extent to which Lagos State educational inspectorate has been effective in its role as an agent of quality control in Lagos State secondary schools. It also examines how efficient it is in the performance of its duties as a quality control factor in line with the provisions of the National Policy on Education (2004).

The purpose of inspection and supervision is to ensure that the standard of instruction is not compromised. This is what the inspectors refer to as quality assurance. Quality control (assurance) which exists in every field of life, considers the functionality of systems and procedures used to shape the inputs on one hand and measuring the standard of the output or product on the other hand.

In education administration, quality control is concerned with effective planning, control, tone, teaching aids, measurement, maintenance and improvement of education services rendered to the society Ejiogu (2004). The National Policy on Education (2004) stated that the objective of inspection/ supervision is to ensure quality control through regular inspection and continuous supervision of instruction and other educational services. Ogunnu (2000) noted that schools supervision is the art of overseeing the activities of teaching and non-teaching staff in a school system to ensure that they conform to generally accepted principles and practice of education as stipulated by the authority.

 There have been various comments and articles on the strategies to arrest the falling standards of education in the country. Osiyale (2004) remarked that policy inconsistency and misplaced priorities of successive governments since independence have been identified as the basic problem of Nigeria’s educational system. Many Nigerians apportioned the blame on teachers, parents/ students, and education authorities. Parents blame teachers, teachers blame parents or students while education authorities are not left out in this act of bulk-passing.

Nwafuluku (2003) asserts that not only supervision but some other indices determine quality control in an educational enterprise, and these include the availability of workable policy, adequacy of modern teaching and learning models, adequate funding, continuous appraisal and upgrading of the educational programmes and personnel, availability of teaching staff, regular staff training and development programme. However, the immediate concern is to examine the extent to which the inspectorate unit of Lagos State Ministry of Education has been effective in discharging its role as the agent of quality control in Lagos State Secondary Schools.

Statement of the Problem

The following are the problems of the study:

1.           Continuous decline in standard of education,

2.           Increase in School Population,

3.           Inadequate Number of  Inspectors,

4.           Inadequate Number of  Instructional Aids,

5.           Unavailability of text books,

6.           Poor Classroom Condition,

7.           Weak Student Attitude to Learning, and

8.           Poor Environmental Factor.

Continuous decline in standard of education

There had been a public outcry on the continual decline in the standards of education in the country especially as indicated in public examination and the performance of education outputs that are inadequate for employment. For instance, in the year 2012 number of candidates that sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination [WASSCE] were 1,572,224 while number of candidates with five credits including English and Mathematics were 649,156 (38.81 percent) in the year 2014 number of candidates that sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination [WASSCE] were 1,692,435 while number of candidates with five credits including English and Mathematics were 529,425 (31.2 percent).  Employers of labour also complain about low performance of graduates from the nations institutions of higher learning.

Increase in School Population

The Lagos State Government of Nigeria set up the Lagos State Inspectorate Service in 2009 partly as machinery for inspection of schools and maintenance of standards. Fagbamiye 2001, noted that when school population increased through various Free Education Programmes. There was also an increase in the school population from 1.9million students in secondary school in 2006to 2.9million in 2009 and about 3.5million in 2012.

Inadequate Number of Inspectors

He contended that the available number of inspectors even as at 2000 was inadequate for the number of schools with the result that some schools were not inspected once in two years. The Bagauda Seminar (2000), recommended one inspector to two hundred teachers. In view of the shortage of personnel in the Inspectorate Division of the ministries of Education (2007) stressed that inspectors of schools should be acquainted with their new roles as advisors, guides, catalysts and source of ideas to teachers  in their instructional endeavors.

Unavailability of Textbooks

Filler (2010) noted that students who have used two or more books were almost three times better than those who have no textbooks in schools. Inadequate supply of textbooks in school is having a toll of teaching and learning activities in many schools. Its importance cannot be overemphasized since they are indispensable to quality education.

Mapederun (2010) also emphasized that the availability and adequacy of textbooks affect the academic performance positively. Effective teaching and learning depends on the availability of suitable adequate resources such as books. Goal attainment in any school depends on adequate supply and utilization of educational resources which enhance proper teaching and learning process with in a conducive environment.

Poor Classroom Conditions

Students in school building in poor condition had achievement that was 6% below schools in fair conditions and 11% below schools in excellent condition. (Edwards 2012)

Poor classroom conditions can encroach upon the teachers sense of personal safety. Student learning is influenced most directly by classroom conditions.

Weak student Attitude to Learning

Without positive attitude and perceptions, students have little chance of learning proficiently. The concept of attitude includes ways of feeling, thinking and behaving and maintaining an expression of one’s identity within the environment.

Poor Environmental Factor

Decaying environmental conditions such as peeling paint, crumbling plaster, non-functioning toilet, poor lighting, inadequate ventilation and imperative heating and cooling systems can affect the learning as well as the health and the morale of staff and student.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of study is to examine and determine the extent to which the Lagos State Inspectorate Service has justified its being setup as an agent of quality control in Lagos State Secondary Schools. This study is to find out the role of the inspectors of education as agents of quality assurance in Lagos State and also evaluate their work in the light of the policy objectives for which they are setup. Specifically, it seeks to identify the knowledge of inspectors on their duties and strategies for improvement.

The study will also highlight the problems facing the inspectors of education as quality assurance agents and discusses ways of solving these problems with a view to improve the quality of education in Lagos State.

The study seeks to achieve the following objectives:

        Identify the job contents and responsibilities of Lagos State Inspectors of education as agents of quality control.

        Assess the contribution to the quality control of education in secondary schools

        Determine how effective the inspectors are in evaluating the school, administration according to the policy of education.

        Determine the extent to which the Lagos State inspectors perform their roles to achieve the goals of the inspectorate.

Research Questions

        What are the effects of school supervision on academic performance of students?

        Do inspectors employ relevant strategies in evaluating school system?

        What are the roles of the school principals in school supervision?

        What are the hindrances to quality assurance in schools?

Research Hypotheses

        There is no significant relationship between the effects of school supervision and academic performance of students.

        There is no significant relationship between the relevant strategies employed by inspectors and school system.

         There is no significant relationship between the roles of the school principal and school supervision.

        There is no significant relationship between the inspectors’ hindrances to schools supervision and quality assurance in schools.

Significance of the Study

The result of the study will be of benefit to educational policy makers, teachers, supervisors, inspectors and administrators of schools who can use the findings of this study as a basis for in-service training programme for modifying and improving the quality of Nigerian secondary schools teaching delivery.

In addition, the study will be eye-opener to inspectors in all the states of the Federation, Lagos State being the sample of study at the state level. The study will make inspectors to realize the roles that are expected of them by virtue of the position they hold.

Lastly, researchers in the field of educational administration and measurement could use the finding of this research as a basis for research.

TOPIC:INSPECTORATE SERVICE OF EDUCATION UNIT AND QUALITY CONTROL IN EDUCATION

Format: MS Word

Chapters: 1 - 5
Delivery: Email

Number of Pages: 65

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