Enhancing Quality Education through Devolution of Quality Assurance Functions to Schools in Kenya: Expectations and Challenges

Abstract

The concept of devolution which means taking services closer to wananchi (citizens) has gained momentum since the promulgation of the current constitution of Kenya in the year 2010. The functions of Directorate Quality Assurance and Standards (DQAS) which fall under the Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MoEST) are supposed to be devolved and institutionalized in schools as indicated in article 70 of the Basic Education Act, No. 14 of 2013. This study endeavoured to establish teachers’ perceived expectations and challenges on devolution of quality assurance functions to schools and revealed that instructional supervision and leadership functions should be devolved to schools whereas in-service training and management of facilities functions should not be devolved to schools. Financial constrains, inadequate skills to handle the quality assurance and standards functions and frosty relationships between teachers were some of the challenges that would be experienced if the functions were devolved to schools.