A voyage to Treat the Threats of Quality: Institutional Factors that are Associated with the Provision of Quality Education in the University of Gondar: Implications for its Future Decision

Abstract

Education is the best mechanism considered to be the key to give solution to personal, social and global problems. This is, realized when there is quality education. Quality education is at the heart of any educational system since it influences what students learn and what benefit they draw from their education for themselves as well as the services they discharge to their country. Quality education has untold importance for a country like Ethiopia to ensure sustainable development and to reduce poverty. It will help the country to achieve the millennium development goals set by the international community. Accordingly, issues of quality education at all levels need to be addressed for accelerated socio-economic development of Ethiopia. In light of this, the main objective of this research was to delve in to institutional factors that are associated with the provision of quality education in the University of Gondar. Questionnaires, interview, and focus group discussion were the instruments used to collect the data in this study . A report from HERQA was also scrutinized. In total , 120 Students, 70 teachers and 4 officials in the University were participants of the study. Samples were selected using stratified and purposive sampling method. This research was cross-sectional in terms of time, descriptive in terms of design, and field research in terms of setting. Quantitative (such as percentage and regression analysis) as well as qualitative (like thematic analysis) methods of analyses were employed to analyze the data. The study found out that infrastructures (learning resources) (ß=.30, P< .005), and teaching- learning and assessment methods (ß=.62, P< .005) in the University found to be the significant predictors for the provision of quality education (the criterion variable). Consequently, infrastructures (learning resources) and teachinglearning and assessment methods need to be ameliorated in the University so as to provide quality education; thereby enabling the University to attain its vision and mission set out in the strategic plan document