School inspection and its role in enhancing quality assurance in selected secondary schools in Yaoundé VI sub-division, Cameron.

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school inspection and quality education in Yaounde VI subdivision, Mfoundi division, Centre region, Cameroon. The study employed the convergent parallel research design. The population of this study was 168 respondents; made up of 162 teachers, 4 school administrators and 2 pedagogic inspectors. The researchers used two sampling techniques which are purposive and simple random techniques. Four research questions were answered and four hypotheses tested. Mean scores of the items answered the research questions while spearman correlation was employed to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The following theories guided this study; Scientific management theory, Human Relation Theory, Stufflebeam’s CIPP Model of Evaluation and McGregor X and Y Theory. Pedagogic Inspectors confirmed that they carryout pre inspection, post inspection visits to ensure proper planning and implementation of inspection recommendation. The study revealed that there is a strong relationship between pedagogic planning and quality assurance through annual seminars, regular inspections and completion of workload by teachers. Also, we realized that pedagogic communication has a key role to play in ensuring quality administration in education where school inspectors were encouraged to strengthen the communication link with teachers and school principals. Through pedagogic sanction, teachers’ behavior and students’ academic performance have greatly improved. The Spearman correlation revealed a significant relationship between pedagogic planning and quality assurance; pedagogic communication and quality assurance; pedagogic evaluation and quality assurance and pedagogic sanction and quality assurance. On the basis of these findings, recommendations were made which included that, the Ministry of Secondary Education should ensure that the different modes of inspection be carried out, selection of inspectors should not only be based on academic and professional qualification, and government should provide sufficient funds for the procurement of necessary equipments.