Factors Influencing Implementation of Quality Management System in Technical Vocational Education and Training Institutions in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Quality management system (QMS) are practices applied by organizations which mainly focus on meeting the customers’ requirements as well as achieving quality policies and objectives in order to continually improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its performance. Many technical institutions in Kenya have adopted QMS as part of performance contracting requirement by government to enhance performance and improve service delivery. Implementing QMS in an organization is expensive and time consuming. Despite enormous resources spent and massive investment by government in TVET institutions; implementation still remains a challenge .Therefore this study sought to investigate factors influencing implementation of quality management systems in public technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in Nairobi, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives: To establish the influence of resource availability on quality management system of public technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in Kenya; To determine the influence of employee training on quality management system of public TVET institutions in Kenya; To examine the influence of top management skills on quality management system of public TVET institutions in Kenya; and To assess how information technology influence quality management system of public technical and vocational education and training institutions in Kenya. The primary data was collected using self-administered questionnaires with both open and closed ended questions from the sampled lecturers and students of the two public technical and vocational education and training institutions which were purposively selected since they are both ISO 9001:2008 certified. The target population was 300 lecturers and 800 students, from which a sample size of 78 lecturers and 207 students was drawn. The study used descriptive survey design. Krejcie and Morgan table was used to get the sample size. The data collected was analyzed using Statistical Packages of Social Sciences (SPSS). Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics while qualitative data was analyzed through content analysis. Results revealed that physical facilities were not adequate, thus not influencing implementation of QMS. Funds were sufficient for the smooth running of the institutions, while human resource was rated very high in terms of academic qualification. This influenced implementation of QMS. The top management was found to be lacking skills on analyzing and interpretation of statistical data. This, to a great did not influence implementation of QMS. However, they were well conversant with monitoring and evaluation of ISO standards as well as auditing skills. It was also established that the institutions has not integrated the recent ICT technology in training and other areas of operation. Thus technology infrastructure is still lacking in TVET institutions. The findings also showed that the institutions do not have adequate number of computers for student use, as well as insufficient internet connectivity to facilitate student research. The institutions were also found to be lacking the most recent technology; hence students could not access wifi as well as internet services in the institution. The study recommended that the top management of TVET institutions should request for more funding from the government to put up more physical facilities such as lecture rooms, laboratories and recreational facilities. It also recommended that the top management invest in staff development, while top management to undertake training on analyzing and interpretation of statistical data. It was also noted that there was need to invest in information technology infrastructure. Further studies should be conducted on similar research related to this in another County to enable further generalization of the findings and also on other factors influencing implementation of QMS apart from the ones dealt with in this research.