INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE UNITS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA: SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES, CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Abstract

The process of fostering an effective quality assurance system has been ongoing for quite some time in Nigerian higher education system. This involves setting up guidelines, rules and standards to ensure that higher education institutions like the colleges of education maintain equitable quality control system leading to quality results and outcomes. One means to ensure that institutions maintain equitable quality assurance control system, is through the establishment of institutional quality assurance units. This paper therefore discussed issues concerning institutional quality assurance units in colleges of education in Delta State, Nigeria, focusing on successful practices, challenges and future directions of institutional quality assurance units. Besides, some terms such as quality assurance and institutional quality assurance units were extensively described in the paper. The mandates of colleges of education as teacher education institutions which demands effective quality assurance unit were also discussed in the paper. The paper provided a broad view concerning the Federal Government policy directives and statements on the establishment of quality assurance agencies in higher education institutions, looking at their goals and responsibilities. Further discussed in the various sections of the paper were salient issues bordering on the topic, which led to the conclusion of the paper and references likewise included.