Institutional capacity influencing provision of quality education in public universities: case of school of education, university of Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Higher education plays a key role in training qualified individuals who are capable of implementing new technologies and using innovative methods to establish more efficient enterprises and institutions and thus allocate resources more effectively to enhance quality education. University of Nairobi has been ranked through webometrics ranking of world universities 2015 as fourth out of 1448 universities in Africa and one of the main criteria used is webometric that to extend reflects the quality of education offered at the university. The study analyzed institutional capacity influencing quality education provision in public universities: case of school of education, university of Nairobi, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives; To assess how lecturer-student ratio influence provision of quality education in public universities in Kenya, to examine how internet access level influence provision of quality education in public universities in Kenya, to assess the availability of teaching-learning resources influence provision of quality education in public universities in Kenya and to analyze how the adequacy of physical facilities influence provision of quality education in public universities in Kenya. The research employed descriptive survey design and was built on Human Capital Theory. The target population for this study was the undergraduate students, master of education students and dean school of education. The study used simple random sampling and purposive sampling. There was use of questionnaires, interview and observation schedules as tools for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used and data analysis and results presented using frequency tables, bar graphs, percentages and pie charts. The study concluded that institutional capacity factors influence the provision of quality of education. On the first objective the study concluded that the availability of lecturers for individualized learning, attendance and course content coverage affect the provision of quality education. On the second objective, internet accessibility at the various places affect the performance of the course work hence affecting quality of education. The study also concluded that availability of teaching learning resources and their adequacy influence the provision of quality education. As a result of this the study recommends that the school of education ought to add the teaching staff to increase the lecturer student ratio so as to ensure that the students get an individualized and personalized tutorials, there is need to add more computer laboratories because many students use them to access internet, add internet ports in the lecture rooms to enhance connectivity even when the wireless connectivity is limited, library materials also need to be customized to ensure that even student with disability can access all electronic materials with ease, lecture halls should be fitted with better furniture, public address system, projectors (electronic equipment that facilitate projection by lecturers) smart boards, proper lighting and hostels need to be increased and the existing ones need renovation. There is also need for more classroom space, offices and tutorial space. This will help promote the quality of service provided by the school and university at large.