The ManicaPost
Dr Hudson Kwandayi
SPEAKING on DiamondFM Radio in a popular education programme Head-To-Head With MM last Thursday, a former Africa University lecturer, Dr Hudson Kwandayi was not in a mood to mince his words.
In a wide-ranging lecture on radio, the policy analyst exposed the unfortunate, but common misconception in this country where people, sometimes even teachers and school heads and other fundis, measure the quality of education offered by considering the pass rate alone.
“There are several other measurements of quality of education other than the number of As and Bs our students achieve in an examination.
“The pass rate is important, no doubt about that, but is a limited way of measuring quality of education,” said the public sector management specialist.
“We cannot be limited to the pass rate measurement alone. There is also what we call The Goal Specification Model.”
This he said meant quality is also achievement of stated institutional goals conformance to given specifications.
“He said the model emphasized its usefulness in that institutional goals and specifications are clear, consensual, time-bound and measurable. Some of its indicators, the learned doctor said, are academic achievements, attendance rate and drop-out rate.
He went on to spell out the Resource-Input Model of measuring quality.
This one, the learned doc said, defined quality as achievement of needed quality resources and inputs for the institution. Its usefulness is in that there is a clear relationship between inputs and outputs. What you put in determines the outcome. Its indicators, he said were resources procured for institutional functioning- for example quality of student intake, facilities, financial support and others. In one word this model emphasises that availability of resources or lack of them determines quality and accordingly can be used to measure quality.
The Process Model: This one, the policy analyst said, measured education quality by its smooth internal process and fruitful learning processes. It is useful when there is a clear relationship between process and educational outcomes.
“The Process Model’s key areas are leadership, participation, social interaction, classroom climate, learning activities and experiences among others,” Dr Kwandayi pointed out.
“Then there is what is known as The Satisfaction Model. This refers to satisfaction of all powerful constituencies. This means when the demands of the constituencies-the stakeholders, are compatible, they cannot be ignored. Who must be satisfied? I am here referring to education authorities, management board, administrators, teachers, parents, students, Government. Every one of these must be satisfied,” he said.
“100 percent satisfaction cannot be realistic or possible, but there must be a reasonable level of satisfaction from all these powerful constituencies,” the doctor emphasised.
He talked about The Legitimacy Model: ‘This is another measurement of the quality of education. This refers to the achievement of the institution’s legitimate position and reputation. The indicators of this model or approach, method of measurement, are, said the learned doctor, public relations, marketing of institution, public image, reputation, status in the community, evidence of accountability, among others.
Absence of Problems Model was probably the most fascinating.
Dr Kwandayi said absence of problems and troubles in a school…an institution, was an obvious measure of quality of education.
“A school must not be a known theatre of war,” emphasised the policy analyst.
“We cannot rule out problems and conflicts in a school. This is normal and sometimes necessary because conflicts bring insight and new ideas, but they must be manageable. If everybody knows about the problems and everybody talks about them, the Media picks them up and uses them to sell their papers, then there is a serious problem,” Dr Kwandayi pointed out. Indicators of the critical usefulness of this model of measurement are, he said, absence of conflicts, dysfunctions, difficulties, defects, weaknesses, troubles among others.
The policy analyst concluded the scintillating discussion with the HEAD-TO-HEAD Diamond FM Radio host with The Organisational Learning Model-another of the eight models of assessing quality of education. This one says quality is adaptation to environmental changes and internal barriers-Continuous improvement.
On the Organisational Learning Model, Dr Kwandayi emphasised that institutions of education cannot ignore environmental changes and Communication Technologies.
“We need to continue to search for new ways of doing things and adapting. If you don’t change, change will leave you behind or change you,” said the learned doctor in typical Socratic philosophy.
As host of HEAD-TO HEAD WITH MM on DiamondFM Radio I could feel the pulse of academic equilibrium dominating the studio, making this programme one of the toughest to handle intellectually but certainly one of the most intellectually stimulating.
Thank you the many listeners who called in or texted to express thrill and satisfaction with the level of enlightenment gained from this engagement with a highly knowledgeable, clear-headed and open minded policy analyst.
I will ask the learned doctor to accept my invitation for him to become a permanent member of the Head-to- Head with MM education panel on radio. And of course thank you for the DiamondFM station manager, Mr Leander Kandiyero, for mooting such an important programme for the community.
Manicaland is known to be the nation’s bastion or beacon of education and home to serious fundis. If you want to share the studio with MM on Head-To-Head, let’s make a date, suggest your favourite educational topic and DiamondFM is there for you; your own and only station.
Don’t miss this learning platform every Thursday from 8pm to 9pm.
