EFFECTS OF ISO 9001:2015 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION ON POST EXAMINATION SERVICE DELIVERY IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Abstract

The quality of education offered by public universities in Kenya has on several occasions been questioned particularly in as far as the integrity of examinations is concerned. Several complaints relating to missing marks, delayed completion rates, lengthy bureaucratic procedures for obtaining examination results and transcripts as well as inadequacies in the internal and external examination processes in several public universities have led to public outcry in the country. It is even worrisome that the mentioned inefficiencies occurred in public universities that are implementing ISO 9001: 2015 quality management systems having already been certified. This concern has casted doubt on the extent to which the implementation of these quality management systems (QMSs) translates to quality service delivery in public universities, and more specifically, the delivery of examination service. Currently, studies linking ISO 9001: 2015 QMS implementation and delivery of examination service are scanty. This study therefore, sought to address this research gap by assessing the effect of ISO 9001:2015 QMS implementation on post-examination service delivery in public universities in Kenya. The study in particular determined the effect of establishment of quality objectives, resource allocation, internal quality auditing and continual improvement on post-examination service delivery in public universities in Kenya moderated by organizational structure. The study was anchored on the systems theory. The study adopted a mixed methods research design. The study targeted 26 directors of quality assurance, 26 directors of QMS and PC, 26 deputy registrars (examinations), 1229 examination coordinators, and 368100 fourth year students based in the main campuses of 26 public universities that had upgraded their QMSs to ISO 9001:2015. Purposive sampling was used to sample the directors of quality assurance, directors of QMS and Performance contracting and deputy registrars while the examination coordinators and fourth year students were sampled using stratified sampling technique. The study used primary data collected using semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules. The qualitative data gathered was analyzed using content analysis while for the quantitative data, both descriptive analysis and inferential analysis were conducted. Bivariate and stepwise regression analyses were used in generating regression coefficients, t statistics and associated p values that guided the testing of the research hypotheses. The study found out that the establishment of quality objectives, resource allocation, internal quality auditing and continual improvement positively and significantly affected post-examination service delivery in public universities in Kenya. However, organizational structure did not significantly moderate the relationship between ISO 9001:2015 QMS implementation and post-examination service delivery in public universities in Kenya. On this basis, the study concludes that successful implementation of ISO 9001:2015 quality management system implementation is a key determinant of enhanced post examination service delivery in Kenya. Therefore, these institutions need to optimize the implementation of their ISO 9001:2015 QMSs. This study recommends that there is need for the government through the Ministry of Education to increase budgetary allocations to public universities for them to efficiently implement their ISO 9001:2015 QMSs. It recommends that the management of public universities should adequately equip internal audit units/teams so that they can regularly carry out comprehensive internal quality audits. They should also maintain suitable work environments and acquire the necessary knowledge, infrastructure and staff to achieve service conformity in the delivery of post examination service. The study also recommends that examination offices in public universities should continuously acquire and monitorstudents’ feedback on post examination service delivered across the different departments and faculties. Such data should be continuously analysed and evaluated to identify areas of service nonconformity so that continuous improvement in the long run is achieved through informed corrective measures.