Factors Affecting the Management of Quality Assurance Activities in Preschool Education

Through the results of Table 2.12, the author found that the quality assurance of education has a positive impact on improving the conditions for ensuring the quality of education such as document work, archiving evidence, planning, etc. However, regarding the development of plans and strategies for school development, 40% of opinions agreed, as well as 5% disagreed on raising the sense of responsibility of staff, teachers and employees in ensuring the quality of child care and education. This means that a small number of staff, teachers and employees still consider the quality assurance of education as a coping measure, not really becoming a driving force for promoting the development of schools towards quality.

However, to assess the impact of KĐCLGD towards building and developing a school quality culture, the author of the thesis interviewed preschool principals about this. Through the interview, it was shown that most of their awareness was only at the basic level of meeting the requirements of the Department of Education and Training as well as management agencies. Only a few principals were interested in building the image or "brand" of the school in the long term.

In addition, to comprehensively evaluate the impact of KĐCLGD on improving the quality of education in schools, we need time to have the results of the school through indicators such as: the rate of children attending school, the number of underweight children, children's understanding, the number of qualified and above-standard teachers,... The research time frame of the thesis is not long enough to measure the progress of the school through the above indicators.

2.4. Factors affecting the management of preschool education quality assessment activities

Through discussions with managers at the Department, Education Department; Inspectors... we learned that the factors affecting the current status of management of preschool education quality assurance activities in BK province focus on the following factors:

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2.4.1. Financial mechanism

There is no satisfactory policy for schools to participate and meet the standards of educational quality assurance, so there is no incentive. There are no solutions or sanctions.

Factors Affecting the Management of Quality Assurance Activities in Preschool Education

Specifically for preschools that have not yet conducted self-assessment. Funding for preschool education quality assessment activities is mainly from the budget, and external resources have not been mobilized, so it is very limited. Therefore, it has not created motivation for schools to participate.

2.4.2. Organization and hierarchy

An independent accreditation organization has not been established yet, decentralizing the authority to the Department of Education and Training to organize, manage and implement the quality assurance of preschool education is only the first step in bringing quality assurance of preschool education into schools. In the long term, according to Resolution 8 of the 11th Central Committee, an independent education accreditation organization must be established from the Department of Education and Training (separating professional management from the state management agency of education). Currently, the Director of the Department of Education and Training is delegated authority in the work of quality assurance of preschool education, from the stage of organizing and implementing self-assessment, external assessment and recognition of quality levels. The Director of the Department of Education and Training signs and issues certificates, leading to a situation of "both playing football and blowing the whistle", which is not independent and not objective.

2.4.3. Standards for assessing the quality of preschools

The criteria for assessing the quality of preschools are illogical and not close to reality. Specifically, the set of standards for assessing the quality of preschools, although revised twice, has also changed a lot to be more suitable. However, it is still necessary to change to be more suitable than Bac Kan province. Because this is a set of standards used for all preschools nationwide, it is necessary to have flexible criteria for each region. The set of standards does not have criteria for the mission and vision of the school. Therefore, schools that meet the accreditation standards have not been shown, or even if they are shown, they have not been assessed for their unique features and characteristics. According to Circular 25, "Assessing the quality of education aims to help educational institutions determine the level of meeting educational goals in each stage..." However, this is still theoretical and impractical. Because the goals of preschool education according to the preschool charter are also very difficult to determine because they cannot be measured.

2.4.4. Capacity of managers and teachers at kindergartens

A team of enthusiastic and competent managers and teachers is considered one of the important factors determining the success in achieving the goals of improving the training quality of each school. Accordingly, the work of building and developing a team of competent managers and teachers is regularly carried out by schools in the province.

Regarding the current management team, the total number of management staff of 122 kindergartens in Bac Kan province is 276 people, of which: 248 have above-standard qualifications and 28 have met the standards.

Regarding the current teaching staff, the total number of teachers at preschools in the province is 1,559 people, of which: 897 have above-standard qualifications and 662 have met the standards.

The above data shows that the teaching staff of preschools in the province have a very high level of qualifications above the standard and are competent enough to participate in training. This shows that in order to build a competent teaching staff, it is necessary to consider the number of teachers needed (quantity) and the necessary qualifications (quality). Methods for building a competent teaching staff need to focus on the existing teaching staff through improvement and development measures, and on the other hand, effective solutions are needed for initial training or pre-professional training for the teaching staff.

2.5. General assessment of the advantages and limitations of preschool education quality assessment management in Bac Kan province

2.5.1. Advantages

- The Ministry of Education and Training and the Department of Education and Training have issued full legal documents as well as professional documents to direct and implement the activities of quality assurance in preschool education. The guiding documents at the Ministry and Department levels are relatively consistent with the science of quality assurance in education as well as the actual situation in Bac Kan province and the whole country.

- The quality assurance of preschool education has truly become an activity of educational quality management as stipulated in the Law on Education. The initial results of the quality assurance of preschool education have confirmed its correctness and are a measure to improve the quality of preschools. The quality assurance of preschool education has helped the Department of Education and Training in managing preschools closely and comprehensively. Through the quality assurance of preschool education, preschools have been encouraged to improve their quality assurance conditions. The quality assurance of preschool education has helped schools form a quality culture in schools, demonstrating the striving for quality, avoiding the "formality" of chasing quantity and dealing with superiors. Schools with good quality assurance conditions will easily participate in the self-assessment process and register for external assessment. The delegation of authority to the Director of the Department to sign the quality level certificate demonstrates the decentralization in management from the central to local levels.

- The KN school's education quality assessment has helped the school to correctly assess the school's current situation through a set of standards. Participating in the external assessment has helped the school to look back at itself in the most objective way thanks to the advice and assistance of the external assessment team in the spirit of peer assessment. The external assessment team also learned a lot of experience from the school being assessed on management and professional issues. Through the KN school's education quality assessment, members of the school as well as the assessment team have the opportunity to practice more on the skills of assessing educational quality.

2.5.2. Limitations

- About the inspector

To implement the management mechanism of educational quality assurance, it is necessary to have a team of staff performing the task of educational quality assurance that is professionally trained. Currently, the inspection force is members from schools, who are performing the main task of school management staff. Therefore, being sent to conduct external assessment is a part-time job, so there are many difficulties in mobilizing. The capacity of the inspectors is not yet

meet the requirements. Specifically, the ability to argue and write self-assessment reports as well as write external assessment reports is still limited. There needs to be a more in-depth training program for auditors.

- On managing self-assessment activities of preschools

+ Awareness of preschools about quality assurance work: Some preschools have not realized that quality is the lifeblood of the school. Schools are still completely dependent on the management agency in terms of admission, budget, teacher recruitment, building facilities, purchasing equipment, etc., so they are still passive. Some principals are reluctant to carry out quality assurance work because it is difficult and time-consuming.

+ Process and techniques for implementing self-assessment reports: Lack of specialized processes and techniques for organizing self-assessment and writing reports in preschools. Lack of specific requirements for evaluating the process of implementing self-assessment and writing self-assessment reports in preschools.

- On managing assessment activities outside kindergartens

+ Process and criteria for monitoring external assessment activities: Lack of process and criteria for monitoring external assessment activities. External assessment results from external assessment teams are submitted directly to the Director of the Department of Education and Training for decision making, but there is no monitoring unit.

+ External assessment team leader: Lack of specific criteria for training and selecting external assessment team leaders. Specifically, criteria on knowledge, skills, and attitudes of external assessment team leaders. No training on external assessment team management skills for external assessment team leaders.

Chapter 2 Conclusion


Bac Kan Department of Education and Training has paid attention to the work of educational quality assurance and management of educational quality assurance activities through the implementation of the following contents: perfecting the organizational structure, developing guidance documents, organizing training courses, seminars, inspecting and evaluating self-assessment and external assessment activities, and promptly monitoring and adjusting the implementation process at the grassroots level.

Preschools have conducted self-assessments according to the preschool quality assessment standards issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, identifying the current situation, strengths and weaknesses of the unit, thereby proposing a quality improvement plan to enhance the level of meeting assessment standards in the coming time.

In reality, the implementation of the work of quality assurance still has some limitations that need to be overcome to improve quality and efficiency.

A small number of managers and teachers of preschools in Bac Kan province have not fully understood the significance of the role of educational quality assurance and self-assessment in improving the quality of school management and education quality, and are limited in assessment techniques. There is no training program and training organization for auditors to meet practical requirements. There is a lack of specialized procedures and techniques to organize self-assessment and external assessment. Information technology has not been applied in the management of educational quality assurance in preschools and there is a lack of preferential policies for accredited schools, and there is no cooperation in this field.

Chapter 3

MEASURES TO MANAGE QUALITY ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION IN BAC KAN PROVINCE

3.1. Principles for determining management measures

3.1.1. Principle of ensuring inheritance

Education quality assurance is an important measure to manage the quality of schools of all fields and levels of education. This work has just begun in Vietnam and will exist and develop according to the process of educational innovation and development of the country.

The content, measures and techniques of inspection are formed based on the legal, scientific and practical foundations of Vietnamese education and international experience.

The document "On standards for assessing educational quality, procedures and cycles for assessing the quality of preschool education " issued by the Minister of Education and Training is the legal basis and tool for preschools to carry out educational quality assessment.

Faced with changes due to the implementation of educational innovation goals, educational quality assessment work also needs to change. These changes are the inheritance of achievements from the previous period and have creativity suitable to practical requirements. The measures to direct the implementation of educational quality assessment standards of the Department of Education and Training are inherited according to the trend:

- Ensure full implementation of the KĐCLGD process.

- Ensure continuity in the organization and planning of the quality assurance system, without creating changes that affect the overall plan in the management activities of the Department of Education and Training in terms of expertise.

- Promote the advantages of the work of educational quality assurance in the recent period; propose competent authorities to supplement and amend factors that are not suitable to reality to further promote the role of educational quality assurance work with the current requirements of educational innovation in the locality.

3.1.2. Principle of ensuring comprehensiveness

In the process of implementing, improving and perfecting educational quality assurance activities, it is necessary to ensure comprehensiveness in the direction of the Department of Education and Training.

Comprehensiveness in the measures to direct the implementation of educational quality assurance activities requires harmony in the coordination relationship of the parties involved in educational quality assurance work: Local authorities, educational management agencies at all levels, educational institutions, etc. Directing educational quality assurance work according to preschool quality assessment standards must ensure synchronous impacts on the structural elements of this work: Organizing and arranging a team of specialists and managers with specific positions suitable to their capacity and task requirements, meeting changes in content, methods and inspection techniques in the following period. When implementing educational quality assurance, schools must ensure the principles of democracy and publicity while at the same time being constructive so that managers, teachers, staff and students can maximize their capacity and voluntarily comply with the requirements of assessment standards; creating conditions for educational forces inside and outside the school to participate and support. From there, schools can have a realistic view of the unit and determine the direction for self-improvement in management, teaching and learning.

3.1.3. Principles of ensuring effectiveness

Directing the implementation of quality assurance activities in preschools requires investment of resources, which requires material and spiritual costs for the forces involved in implementation. Moreover, the proposed measures aim to make this work better, otherwise the proposed measures will become costly and ineffective. Therefore, when selecting and proposing measures, it is necessary to pay attention to the feasibility and effectiveness in the process of implementing the measures, which are reflected in the following aspects:

- Proposed measures must be appropriate, feasible and convenient to implement.

- Proposed measures must be practical in improving the quality of school education in the following aspects: management, teaching and learning,...

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