Leadership factors that affect the quality of education in higher learning institutions of Ethiopia

Abstract

Higher learning institutions (HLIs) are intended to equip learners with advanced knowledge, skills and appropriate attitudes in various disciplines. To enhance their economies, advance the welfare of their citizens and cope with current global economic competitions, countries’ HLIs need to provide quality education to produce a competent workforce. For this reason, leaders in HEIs should be competent in conceptual, technical and interpersonal skills. The study's main aim was to examine leadership's effectiveness in assuring quality education in the Ethiopian higher education sector. A mixed methods research approach was followed to study four HLIs. Academic staff members, the leadership of the HLIs, students and other external stakeholders participated in this study. The study employed a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. For the quantitative part, simple random, multi-stage and systematic sampling techniques were used to select 320 respondents (160 regular graduating students and 160 permanent instructors). Quantitative data were collected through a structured questionnaire. For the qualitative part of the research, the purposive sampling technique was used to select 22 participants for semi-structured and unstructured one-to-one interviews. Focus group discussions were also conducted with the student councils of the three universities. The study has found that the efficiency of the top- and mid-level leadership in assuring quality education in their HLIs was moderate. The study also indicated that the leadership tried to support quality assurance activities. Overall, the leadership was found to have demonstrated strengths in demonstrating the leadership qualities listed in the study. However, some weaknesses were identified and corrective measures were recommended for the HLI leadership and external stakeholders. According to the study, the quality of education can only be achieved if internal and external stakeholders are committed to and contribute their share in the quality assurance activities. The study proposes a model for enhancing the efficiency of Ethiopian HLI leaders in assuring the quality of education and competency of graduates.

Hoerleerinstellings (HLI’s) is veronderstel om leerders toe te rus met gevorderde kennis, vaardighede en toepaslike houdings in verskeie dissiplines. Om hulle ekonomieë te verbeter, die welsyn van hulle burgers te bevorder en heersende globale ekonomiese mededinging te hanteer, moet lande se HLI’s gehalte onderwys verskaf om ’n bekwame arbeidsmag te produseer. Dus moet leiers in HLI’s bekwaam wees in konseptuele, tegniese en interpersoonlike vaardighede. Die studie se hoofdoel was om die doeltreffendheid van leierskap te ondersoek om gehalte onderwys in die Ethiopiese hoëronderwyssektor te verseker. ’n Navorsingsbenadering vir gemengde metodes is gevolg om vier HLI’s te bestudeer. Akademiese personeellede, die leierskap van die HLI’s, studente en ander eksterne belanghebbendes het aan hierdie studie deelgeneem. Die studie het ’n gemengde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe benadering gebruik. Vir die kwantitatiewe deel is eenvoudige ewekansige, multi-stadium- en sistematiese steekproeftegnieke gebruik om 320 respondente (160 gewone graduerende studente en 160 permanente instrukteurs) te selekteer. Kwantitatiewe data is deur middel van ’n gestruktureerde vraelys ingesamel. Vir die kwalitatiewe deel van die navorsing is doelgerigte steekproeftegniek gebruik om 22 deelnemers vir semi-gestruktureerde en ongestruktureerde een-tot-een-onderhoude te selekteer. Fokusgroepgesprekke is ook met die studenterade van die drie universiteite gevoer. Die studie het bevind dat die doeltreffendheid van top- en middelvlakleierskap om gehalte onderwys in hulle HLI’s te verseker matig was. Die studie het ook aangedui dat die leierskap gehalteversekeringsaktiwiteite probeer ondersteun het. Oor die algemeen is gevind dat die leierskap sterkpunte getoon ten opsigte van die leierseienskappe wat in die studie gelys is. Sommige swakhede is egter geïdentifiseer en regstellende maatreëls is aanbeveel vir HLI-leierskap en eksterne belanghebbendes. Volgens die studie kan die gehalte van onderwys slegs bereik word as interne en eksterne belanghebbendes toegewyd is en bydra tot gehalteversekeringsaktiwiteite. Die studie stel ’n model voor om die doeltreffendheid van Ethiopiese HLI-leiers te verbeter om die gehalte van onderwys en bevoegdheid van gegradueerdes te verseker.

Morero wa diinstithusene tsa thuto ya godimo (diHLI) ke go fa baithuti tsebo ya maemo a godimo, bokgoni le maitshwaro a maleba ka dithuto tsa go fapana. Go godisa ekonomi, gore badudi ba phele gabotse le go kgona go phela ka gare ga diphadisano tsa bjale tsa ekonomi ya lefase ka bophara, diHLI tsa dinaga di swanetse go aba thuto ya khwalithi go tsweletsa basomi bao ba nago le bokgoni. Ka lebaka le, baetapele ba diHLI ba swanetse go ba le bokgoni bja go sekaseka, bja sethekniki le bja go somisana le batho. Maikemisetso a magolo a nyakisiso ye e be e le go lekodisisa mosomo wa boetapele go netefatsa khwalithi ya thuto ka lefapheng la thuto ya godimo la Ethiopia. Mekgwa ye e tswakantswego ya nyakisiso e somisitswe diinstithuseneng tse nne tsa thuto ya godimo. Basomedi ba tsa thuto, boetapele bja diHLI, baithuti le batseakarolo ba bangwe ba ka ntle ba tsere karolo nyakisisong ye. Nyakisiso e somisitse mekgwa ye e tswakantswego ya khwalitheithifi le khwanthitheithifi. Nyakisiso e somisitse mokgwa wa khwanthithethifi go kgoboketsa datha ka mekgwa e mekaonekaone ka go kgetha dikemedi fela, ka go kgetha dikemedi go kgato enngwe le enngwe ya nyakisiso, le ka mokgwa wo o rulagantswego go kgetha dikemedi tse 320 (baithuti ba 160 le bahlahli ba nako ka moka ba 160). Mokgwa wa khwalithethifi o somisitswe go kgoboketsa datha ka mananeopotsiso ao a rulagantswego ka go kgetha dikemedi tse 22 go dipoledisano tse di sa rulaganywago le tsa dipotsiso tse bulegilego goba tse rulagantswego. Nyakisiso e somisitse gape mokgwa wa dipoledisano tsa dihlopha le dikhansele tsa baithuti diyunibesithing tse tharo. Nyakisiso e utollotse gore bokgoni bja boetapele bja maemo a godimo le bja magareng go netefatsa khwalithi ya thuto ka go diHLI ke bjo bo lekanetsego. Nyakisiso e laeditse gape gore boetapele bo lekile go thekga mesomo ya go netefatsa khwalithi. Ka kakaretso, boetapele bo laeditse go ba le dikhwalithi tsa boetapele tseo di ngwadilwego mo nyakisisong. Le ge go le bjalo, mafokodi a mangwe a ile a lemogwa gomme magato a phosollo a sisinywa go boetapele bja HLI le go batseakarolo ba ka ntle. Diphihlelelo tsa nyakisiso di laeditse gore khwalithi ya thuto e ka fihlelelwa fela ge batseakarolo ba ka gare le ba ka ntle ba soma ka maikemisetso go mediro ya go netefatsa khwalithi. Nyakisiso e sisinya mmotlolo wa go kaonafatsa bokgoni bja boetapele bja diHLI tsa Ethiopia go netefatsa khwalithi ya thuto le bokgoni bja dialoga.