Ensuring Quality Management in Education for a Sustainable

National Development
Introduction

The place of education in national development is the starting point of national

consciousness, development and civilization in every country of the world. This so
because educating the citizens is a contribution and investment of an inestimable
value. All countries of the world place much value on the quality of education
they provide for their citizenry because of the overwhelm influence of education in
all aspects and sectors of life in the human society at large. Thus education is the
corner stone for national development and the basis for literacy, skill acquisition
technological advancement and transmission of desirable values in the society. To
achieve these goals, concerted efforts are made to ensure the provision of quality
education at all levels. Quality education has remained a major tool in the
promotion and sustenance of national development. According to the (NPE, 2004)
it states that education will continue to be highly rated in the national Development
plans, because education is considered the most important instrument of change, as
any fundamental change in the intellectual and social outlook of any society has to
be preceded by an educational revolution. The Education system of Nigeria runs
from pre- primary, primary, secondary to tertiary levels. At each level, the
management is saddled with the duty to deliver efficient and effective service to
meet up the demand of that level of education so that their products will continue
to be relevant in the society. Life progress and socio-economic improvements in
the society depend on the educational achievement of the members of the society.
Therefore education becomes an instrument of developing the capacities and

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potentials of the nation and harnessing the inherent human and material resources
for a functional self- actualization, self-reliance and survival of humanity and the
society. Educational provisions in any particular country must continue to serve the
purpose for which it is provided and be relevant at all times for it to achieve its
goals. The need for quality in education cannot be overemphasized and transcends
all other needs in the sector. Education must try to address the needs of the learner
with perceived influences in society’s realities, for it to be adjudged relevant and
qualitative.

Therefore quality education according to Ezeuwa (2012) is education of high

standard that completely addresses the needs, hopes, and aspirations of the
individual recipients and society, the education that stabilizes the economy of a
nation, the education that stems the tide of potential permutation in any given
society, the education that opens the mind, enriches the head and equips the hand
for useful living in the society, the education that empowers one to attain heights
and makes positive exploits, and nevertheless the education that restores the
unrealized or lost dignity of man. This mean that a quality education must be one
that is meeting up with the standard in terms of process and production with
perceived lasting influence. It will lead to the acquisition of appropriate skills and
development of mental, physical and social abilities and competencies as
equipment for the individual to live in and contribute to the development of the
society. Again (NPE, 2004) states that education we receive has to be geared
towards self-realization, better human relationship, individual and national
effective citizenship, national unity, as well as towards social, economic, political,
scientific and technological progress. So quality education must be an education
that puts into consideration the holistic formation of the human person and the

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development of the society. That is why education is said to be an instrument per
excellence for effecting national development.

The quality of education in the present day Nigeria is a paramount issue for
national debate as some are of the opinion that the standards of education in
Nigeria today are falling (Sam, 2014) as quoted in Oyewole and Osalusi (2016). In
the views of Eguavo (2013) he noted that a nation without sound education lacks
adequately equipped future leaders who will help to propel development for the
future generation. Again Oladunni (2012) observed that the falling education
standard in Nigeria could be linked with inadequate dedication and commitment by
the teachers who are saddled with the responsibility to facilitate effective
instructional delivery and inadequate funding of education by the government in
accordance with the United Nations standard. He further observed that the teachers
at all tiers of our educational system as well as the government have not performed
up to the expectation in the process of providing and maintaining good education
standard in all our schools.
In another perspective, Chinelo (2011) opined that the declining education standard
could be attributed to ineffective traditional education which helps to inculcate
important values of hard work, diligence, integrity and high productivity. It is
pertinent to note that the quality of education in Nigeria has dropped to an
alarming rate which could portend great danger for the future of our country
(Atanda, 2014). Adebanjo (2013) was also of this view when he asserted that the
standard of education is falling. He observed that the problem came as a result of
successive political instabilities and neglect which education has to experience
over time. This gradually results into the decay of the nation’s educational system.
However, Igwe (2001) noted that quality at any level of education is strictly based
on measurement and degree of meeting the laid down standards, policy

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formulation to implementing the educational policies, coverage of the contents in
the curriculum, the process of teaching and learning, teachers’ performance
evaluation as well as research and academic environment. The Cardinal point
among these issues of decadence and lack of quality in education is management.

The management performs the following managerial roles among others: providing
the overall quality leadership, co-ordination, supervision, control, organization,
welfare, motivation and continuing evaluation that would encourage the
improvement of educational programmes.

These days the administrative functions of providing quality education are

becoming much more demanding owing to the complex nature of the human
society and the school expectations. These complexes are arising from numerous
activities ranging from staff and students personnel administration in terms of
enrolments, population mobility and social problems, academic procedures,
curriculum and policy issues and implementation, conflict resolutions within and
outside the school, environmental influences and Socio-economic demands. All
these require the use of powerful administrative tools that will result in better
management, communication, efficient operations and better personnel services.

Quality Management:

Quality management is one of the duties of the top executives’ in an organization

who formulates policies, rules and regulations of the organization which is to be
implemented by those in the line of authority. They ensure to the application of
quality assurance and application of good practice, quality management principles,
practices and techniques. (Babalola and Erwat, 2007). It is a way of managing to
improve the effectiveness, flexibility and competitiveness within an organization in
order to bring fitness to purpose, conformation to standards and specification.

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Therefore quality management is can be said to be an aspect of the overall
management function that determines and implements the quality policy. This
includes the strategic planning, allocation of resources and other systematic
activities for quality such as quality planning, quality procedure, operations,
execution and evaluations in the system in order to fit into the purpose. To attain a
desired quality in education requires a systematic approach that will instill
commitment and ensure total participation of members of the school organization.

It’s about the use of the administrative capacities and potential powers possessed to
facilitate the desired change and expectations that will reduce inefficiency and
misfit. Quality management system in education entails the cooperation of all
stakeholders in education which will instill in them the culture of quality control at
all times. This will lead to a systematic and regular appraisal and review of the
program of the education sector which will become a method of discernment of the
weakness and strength of the organization thereby provide a feedback that will lead
to a continuous self-improvement in the system. It will develop in them the
mentality of quality insistence in all things regarding the education enterprise.
When this is the case quality culture becomes a way of life and permeates of every
part and aspect of the organization. Quality management is a strategic
improvement process that should apply a continuous review and assessment of the
pedagogical process. It should encourage teacher’s empowerment and training to
provide capable and competent personnel. This level of management brings
management concerns of innovating and strategy together with those of finding
more efficient methods of doing things. It involves lots of activities by operational
level of manager.

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Parameters for Measuring Quality in Education:

There are two broad approaches to measuring quality, one is measuring the outputs
or products from the education system and the other is evaluation of the
educational processes and environment.

The products of any educational institution would be the indicator and measure and
the term of reference of the quality of the institution by the level of competency in
the application of the knowledge and skills acquired in the institution. According
Babalola and Ewrat (2007) it include the effective performance of the output in the
job competitive market, their impact on moral conduct, and serviceability in the
society these are indictors for measuring the quality of education. The feedback
from the job market and the society generally is important to the education system
for evaluation of both the educational processes and outputs.

The second approach is the evaluation or inspection of the education process. In

many institutions it is called supervision of instructional process or accreditation of
the program of instruction. This could be done internally or external by
supervisors. They come to assess the plan, and evaluate the academic process of
the institution to ensure it conforms to the laid down procedures, rules, and policies
stipulated by the ministry of education in the national policy in education. These
internal and external measures are part of the quality management approach to
ensuring quality in our education so that the treasures in education will be
sustained for national development.

Concept of Sustainable Education Standard

The concept of sustainable education development according to Oyewole and
Osulusi (2016) quoting Brundtland Commission report of United Nations

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Department of Social Affairs and Economics, (1987) opined that sustainable
development was perceived as indices for determining present economic and social
growth without losing focus on the ability of future generations towards achieving
their own needs. Brundtland Commission is of the opinion that sustainability refers
to ensuring adequate balance in the areas of environmental, societal and economic
considerations towards the development and enhanced quality of life. Education is
the only factor that can bring about this balance. Atanda (2014) noted the
significance of planning for sustaining national growth and development should
aimed at the future, that is, it should ‘foresee’ and planned in a way that will meet
the needs of the future generation.
Sustainable education standard should entrench quality as the hall mark that is
ready to stand the test of time. The standards that are set as regards quality
education should be geared towards all round development in the process of
producing sound education that could impact positively towards the development
of individual and the nation in general. Therefore sustainable education standard is
the concern of all stakeholder in the education enterprise for us to achieve a
national development that will sustain the economy, the environment and provide
for the future.

Conclusion: Any country that treasures their national development will invest
much in his educational sector. The UNESCO recommendation states that
education budgetary allocation should be 26% of the country’s annual budget
because it brings about all round development in education and enhance quality in
education and promote national development. The quality of education depends on
the degree of involvement of the government with respect to funding and policy
formulation and implementation, efficient management, staff development and
capacity building. Commitment of the students and coverage of the curriculum

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content and provision of other educational resources. On the contrary inadequate
funding, poor staff development and non- provision of other basic infrastructure
facilities in education will hamper the quality in education and as result delay
national development.

Recommendation:

The federal and state government should appoint only professionals in supervisory
position within the ministry of education

The government should professionalize teaching so that only those who are
registered and licensed will practice in education in this country.

The government should ensure that adequate provisions are made in the basic
amenities required in education.

Certification of students should be thorough and holistic.

There should be adequate means of punishing those who are offenders in

education.

Management and leadership in schools/institution should set up school culture,

values and standards in order to provide an all -round training of students for
national

All these will ensure sustainable education that will impact on national
development.

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References

Adebanjo, O. (2013). Falling educational standards in Nigeria. Available online at

ngex.com/news/public/article.php? Retrieved 16th July, 2015.

Atanda, A. I. (2014). Quality education for sustainable development: A task for

every stakeholder. In B. O. Emunemu & F. S. Akinwumi (Eds),
Educational management in Africa: Papers in honour of Professor
John Iheukwumere Nwankwo, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. 336-344

Babalola, J.B, Adedeji, S.O and Erwat E. A. (2007) ‘Revitalizing quality higher
education in Nigeria: Options and Strategies in Access’, Equity and
quality in higher education. NAEAP publication.

Chinelo, O. D. (2011). Falling standards of education in Nigeria: An empirical

evidence in Delta State of Nigeria. A Journal of Contemporary
Research; 8(3): 1-12

Eguavo, O. E. (2013). Falling standard of education in Nigeria and the way out.
Available online at www.information.ng.com.

Ezeuwa, L, (2012). ‘Quality education: A Vita tool for effective

re-branding of Nigeria’ in international Journal of
education Research and Development. Vol.4 no.1.
Onistha: Ekumax Company LTD.

Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) National Policy on Education 4th Edition,

Lagos:

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 Nerde press

Igwe, S. O. (2001). Supervision, evaluation and quality control in education. In N.

A. Nwagwu, E. T. Ehiametalor, M. A. Ogunnu & M.O.N. Nwadiani
B. (eds), Current Issues in Educational Management in Nigeria.
Benin City: NAEAP Publication.
Oyewole, B. K and Osulusi, F. M (2016) ‘Towards Actualizing Sustainable
Education and Standards in Nigeria. In Internatioanl Journal of
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