Implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System and Educators’ Perceptions, Concerns and Dispositions on Their Career Stages

Abstract

KEYWORDS Career Stages. Perceptions. Concerns. Dispositions. Integrated Quality Management System ABSTRACT This paper argues that educators' career stages account for variations in the educators' perceptions, concerns and dispositions towards the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in South African schools. These variations have a bearing on the implementation of IQMS. The presented results are extracted from a larger study and are based on a survey of 305 educators. Three null hypotheses, one each, on the significant differences in educators' perceptions of IQMS, their concerns about IQMS, and their dispositions towards IQMS were tested, using educators' career stages as a sorting variable. The Kruskal Wallis test was employed for the purposes of gauging significant differences. This research concludes that there were significant differences bet ween educators' perceptions and dispositions. However, the educators' concerns about IQMS did not differ, but were shared by educators across career stages. Only in the 'collaboration concern' did career stages differ. The potential impact of these variables on the implementation of IQMS, and the need to bargain for educators' ca reer stages in the implementation of IQMS, and other school policies and programmes, are highlighted. This study generated data that could be generalised to 3370 school educators in one Education district of one Province in Sout h Africa. Similar studies in other districts in the province and nationally will generate a good feedback from educators. Reviews based on empirical data are pertinent for the success of the policies and for feedback to guide new policies. This paper makes recommendations for policy formulators, programme administrators, as well as further research. Internationally too, gathering of similar data from educators, when policies are being implemented, will be useful to receive robust feedback.