Kaduna School Inspectorate moves to Quality Assurance

“Before now, various MDAs that had something to do with inspection in schools were independent. The officers would go to schools, conclude inspections and then write reports that are kept secret. With the support of ESSPIN, the Quality Assurance Service was established. Now we have all divisional directors of Private School Board, Science and Technical School Management Board, Agency for Mass Literacy, Federal Inspectorate Service and SUBEB working together to ensure quality assurance in Kaduna state”, says Mrs. Asabe Makeri, retired Director, Quality Assurance, Kaduna State Ministry of Education.

Combined with the uncoordinated multiple levels of inspection and the non standardization of methods and instruments for monitoring, leading to inconsistent data and reports, the previous practice of conducting inspection as a “policing activity” to find fault and criticize has had a negative effect on the quality of education delivered in schools.

ESSPIN’s support has given rise to the creation of the Kaduna State Education Quality Assurance Service (KADSEQAS), with its own operational framework. KADSEQAS is now charged with the QA process, based on the Whole School Evaluation model which is holistic, dynamic, vibrant, impartial and objective. The process is managed by professional and dedicated staff offering teachers support and guidance to promote the delivery of quality education through improved teaching and learning. 270 evaluators have been trained on the new concept of Whole School Evaluation.

With a bill to establish the Kaduna State Quality Assurance Board awaiting enactment by the State House of Assembly and the future of QA in Kaduna looking assured, Mrs. Makeri reports “KADSEQAS now has 250 evaluators carrying out inspections in schools. We have an evaluation cycle of three evaluation visits per school term. Our evaluations have produced 156 reports with ESSPIN’s support. We have also secured a data base management system where these reports are input for public accessibility.”