Quality in Education

In all aspects of the school and its surrounding education community, the

rights of the whole child, and all children, to survival, protection,

development and participation are at the centre. This means that the focus is

on learning which strengthens the capacities of children to act progressively

on their own behalf through the acquisition of relevant knowledge, useful

skills and appropriate attitudes; and which creates for children, and helps

them create for themselves and others, places of safety, security and healthy

interaction

What does quality mean in the context of education? Many definitions of quality in

education exist, testifying to the complexity and multifaceted nature of the concept. The

terms efficiency, effectiveness, equity and quality have often been used synonymously

(Adams, 1993). Considerable consensus exists around the basic dimensions of quality

education today, however. Quality education includes:

. (Bernard, 1999)

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and supported in learning by their families and communities;

Learners who are healthy, well-nourished and ready to participate and learn,

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provide adequate resources and facilities;

Environments that are healthy, safe, protective and gender-sensitive, and

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of basic skills, especially in the areas of literacy, numeracy and skills for life,

and knowledge in such areas as gender, health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS

prevention and peace;

Content that is reflected in relevant curricula and materials for the acquisition

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approaches in well-managed classrooms and schools and skilful assessment

to facilitate learning and reduce disparities;

Processes through which trained teachers use child-centred teaching

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national goals for education and positive participation in society.

This definition allows for an understanding of education as a complex system embedded in

a political, cultural and economic context. This paper will examine research related to

these dimensions. It is important to keep in mind education’s systemic nature, however;

these dimensions are interdependent, influencing each other in ways that are sometimes

unforeseeable.

This definition also takes into account the global and international influences that propel

the discussion of educational quality (Motala, 2000; Pipho, 2000), while ensuring that

Outcomes that encompass knowledge, skills and attitudes, and are linked to

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national and local educational contexts contribute to definitions of quality in varying

countries (Adams, 1993). Establishing a contextualized understanding of quality means

including relevant stakeholders. Key stakeholders often hold different views and meanings

of educational quality (Motala, 2000; Benoliel, O’Gara & Miske, 1999). Indeed, each of

us judges the school system in terms of the final goals we set for our children our

community, our country and ourselves (Beeby, 1966).

Definitions of quality must be open to change and evolution based on information,

changing contexts, and new understandings of the nature of education’s challenges. New

research — ranging from multinational research to action research at the classroom level

— contributes to this redefinition.

Systems that embrace change through data generation, use and self-assessment are more

likely to offer quality education to students (Glasser, 1990). Continuous assessment and

improvement can focus on any or all dimensions of system quality: learners, learning

environments, content, process and outcomes.