The purpose of HLIs is to produce skilled workforces who can change the livelihood of society and modernise and improve the socio-economic development of the country by developing the skills, knowledge, and attitude of its citizenry. However, these skilled workforces should be prepared with quality education. Quality education is producing competent graduates for the world of work, equipped with adequate knowledge, skills,
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and the appropriate attitude. Producing competent graduates is essential for every HLI stakeholder: the government, the community, institutions, employers, and students.
The ultimate goal of any form of business organisation, including HLIs, is customer satisfaction. Satisfaction is attained when the required standards, expectations and goals are fully achieved. Satisfaction is also said to be achieved when input and process produce satisfactory output that fits the intended purpose (Shibeshi, Mekonnen, Semela & Endawoke, 2009).
To examine the leadership factors that affect the quality of education in the HLIs of Ethiopia, it is necessary to know the current status of education (the students' performance) in the HLIs. Therefore, in this section, the quality of higher education in Ethiopia is analysed based on various sources of data. In this study, the quality of education (students' performance) is approached in terms of the learners' perceived improvement in their skills, knowledge, and attitude as measured by the students, in addition to their instructors’ level of satisfaction supported by document analysis and interviews for better triangulation.
5.2.1 Students’ satisfaction with the quality of education
Analysis of data on students' satisfaction is considered an essential tool for assessing the quality of education since students are the primary beneficiaries and legitimate assessors of their quality of learning. Accordingly, based on their learning experience, students were asked through the structured questionnaire to evaluate whether or not their quality of learning was up to their expectation. The findings of the data collected from the four sampled HLIs are presented in Table 5.1 below.
Table 5.1: Students' satisfaction with quality of education acquired
Evaluation tool HLI
Yes No Don't
know
Total
N 2
N % N % N %
Students'
performance / quality of education is up to standard
ADU 12 40 18 60 0 0 30
6.5 AMU 14 33 22 51 7 16 43
HRU 12 43 13 46 3 11 28 WKU 19 39 22 45 8 16 49 Total 57 38 75 50 18 12 150
P > 0.05, (no significant difference in respondents rating scale across the four HLIs); N = number
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It can be noted in Table 5.1 that 75 (50%) of the 150 respondents perceived that their knowledge, skill, and attitude during their teaching and learning was below their expectation. A further 57 students (38%) perceived that the quality of education they acquired was up to standard. This indicates that the overall satisfaction of students with the quality of learning proficiencies gained during their studies was low.
To substantiate these findings, further analysis of interview data was conducted. The analysis shows a very high concern regarding the deterioration of the quality of students' learning competencies among the respondents. During focus group discussions with student representatives, most of the discussants also expressed their dissatisfaction with the level of quality learning they gained during their teaching and learning implementation process (FGS2, FGS3 & FGS4). In this regard, a student respondent from the focus group members expressed his dissatisfaction as follows:
My level of satisfaction with the quality of teaching and learning in our institution is low, because the majority of the teaching and learning practices are teacher-centred. Most teaching facilities such as laboratory and workshop equipment and ICT facilities are not fully equipped and sufficient.
Moreover, they are not updated and compatible with the current student population. For courses which require practical activities, there is no adequate practical learning in the form of internships. Some of our instructors are also inefficient. So, I am really not satisfied with the quality of education (ST4).
This view was shared by a student respondent from AMU who stated:
Even though I have relatively good grades, I am not satisfied with the learning competencies gained during my studies. I am not confident enough to say that I am well equipped with the practical skills and knowledge required for my field of study, which is very relevant for my future career (ST2).
5.2.2 Academic staff satisfaction with the quality of education
Based on their teaching and learning experience, instructors were also asked to evaluate the quality of students' competency. In this regard, the perception of instructors from the four sampled HLIs is presented in Table 5.2 below.
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Table 5.2: Instructors’ evaluation of quality of students’ learning
Evaluation tool HLI
Yes No Don't
know
Total N 2
N % N % N %
Students'
performance / quality of education is up to standard
ADU 10 33 17 57 3 10 30
AMU 15 33 26 58 4 9 45 2.7
HRU 8 32 12 48 5 20 25
WKU 19 38 27 54 7 14 50
Total 52 35 82 55 19 11 150 p>0.05 (no significant difference in respondents rating scale across the four HLIs)
In Table 5.2, it can be seen that 82 (55%) instructors of the 150 respondents perceived that the students' knowledge, skill, and attitude during their teaching and learning was below standard, whereas, 35% of them perceived it was up to standard, and the remaining 11% failed to judge the status of their students' capacity.
To substantiate the above findings, further analyses of interview data were conducted.
These analyses showed that almost all instructors and the top- and mid-level leaders who were interviewed believed that student learning capacity was low (AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, TLL1, TLL3, TLL4, MLL2, MLL4). From the qualitative data of the study, it can be understood that concern about low-quality education is a major issue among instructors and the HLI leadership. These qualitative data findings complement the results of the quantitative data regarding the existence of a problem in the quality education provision of the HLIs of Ethiopia. Additionally, most students are not actively engaged in the teaching process. The motivation of students to read reference books from the libraries and their active participation in teaching and learning activities is low, and their motivation to acquire the necessary knowledge is lacking. One of the interviewees stated:
In the Ethiopian context, to secure employment opportunities, professional competence is not as important as certificates. As a result, most students who pursue their education in the HLIs of Ethiopia are more concerned with receiving degrees, regardless of their learning quality. In such circumstances where professional competence is not appreciated, it is difficult to expect competent learners (AS2).
During an interview with academic staff members, an interviewee from WKU mentioned that
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the theoretical teaching and learning process should be fully supported by practical activities. However, this is not the case at our university, because the laboratories are not fully equipped with the necessary equipment and chemicals. Moreover, the knowledge and capacity of lab assistants is not satisfactory. Practical attachments and fieldwork learning exercises are not sufficiently provided to students. Therefore, in such environments, it is unfair to expect a quality education (AS4).
Another staff member shared similar ideas regarding the existence of inadequate practical teaching and learning activities (AS2). During a visit to teaching and learning facilities at WKU and AMU, the researcher also observed some laboratories with shortages of laboratory chemicals and workshop equipment, as well as insufficient internet access for students. To substantiate these findings, document analysis was carried out and the findings are presented in the following sections.
5.2.3 Document analysis
According to a study conducted by a team of Ethiopian researchers (MoE, 2018), the impact of the government's interventions on assuring the quality of higher education was unsatisfactory. Reduced quality of education was noticeable across the Ethiopian higher education system (MoE, 2018). The findings of the MoE study identified that the higher education curriculum does not equip students for growth in self-employability and further lifelong learning skills. They found insufficient use of ICT for learning purposes, inadequate higher education institution–industry linkage for students to have real-world work exposure, and a deficiency in research skills, computer skills, and English written and oral communication among the graduates. Evidence was found of inflated grades, widespread cheating by students during exams, and a lack of strong student evaluation mechanisms, all of which are problematic for assuring quality education.
These problems exist in private and public HLIs in all modes of delivery. However, “the decline in quality of education is greater among the private continuing and distance education programs than the regular and public education programs” (MoE, 2018:52).
The study further revealed that public HLIs are better at providing quality education compared to private HLIs (MoE, 2018). Moreover, an exit exam conducted in 2019 (2011 per Ethiopian calendar) for public health programmes (Nursing, Health Officer, Midwifery, Medical Laboratory, and Pharmacy) by the National Health Professionals Competency Assessment and Licensure Directorate, Ministry of Health revealed that
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the pass rate of graduated students from public HLIs was better than that of the private HLIs in all the programmes (Ministry of Health, 2019).
The quality of higher education is also related to the quality of secondary schools (Michaelowa, 2007). Starting from the lower levels of schooling, students need to be equipped and well-prepared for higher education. According to MoE (2018), however, most of the students coming into Ethiopian higher education are not sufficiently equipped with the necessary knowledge to accomplish their educational goals.
Cheating during exams is also a common practice in primary and secondary schools, and in the national Grade 10 and 12 exams. Research shows that some students who managed to register for higher education could not write or read appropriately in the English language. English is the medium of instruction for higher education in all HLIs, with the exception of specific language courses (FDRGE, 2003). Moreover, most of the teachers at preparatory levels are not properly trained in teachers' professional development. There is also a shortage of high calibre teachers, supplementary reading materials, textbooks, laboratory equipment, and other teaching aids. These shortages subsequently affect the quality of higher education.
From the external institutional quality audit of HLIs and follow-up reports of the ETA (formerly known as HERQA) published during the past six years (HERQA, 2013–2020) it can also be noted that the HLIs have:
A shortage of skilful and experienced teaching staff in general and PhD holders in particular;
Inadequate laboratory rooms and laboratory materials;
Shortage of updated reference books;
Poor infrastructure of ICT;
Inexperienced leadership at different leadership levels;
Lack of continuous provision of short- and long-term training for academic staff;
Poor setup of the teaching and learning facilities;
Inadequate academic staff office;
Unsatisfactory performance of research and community services activities;
Insufficient HLI industry linkage, inadequate links with national and international research and academic institutions.
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Moreover, even though almost all HLIs have established an internal quality assurance office, the office lacks the full capacity to oversee the quality of education due to insufficient human resource and budget.
Consequently, from the quantitative and qualitative data analysis, it can be seen that the provision of quality education at HLIs of Ethiopia is below standard.
5.3 CHALLENGES TO HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTION LEADERSHIP IN