Internal Quality Assurance Research Articles

AN EVALUATION OF ONSITE TRAINING AND SUPPORTIVE SUPERVISION PLUS (OTSS+) TO IMPROVE MALARIA DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE DELIVERY IN 22 HOSPITALS IN SIERRA LEONE

Malaria, a formidable global health issue, disproportionately impacts sub-Saharan Africa, including Sierra Leone, where a substantial burden persists with a significant number of reported cases annually. This global health challenge necessitates a comprehensive approach to address its impact on public health, emphasizing the crucial role of accurate and prompt diagnosis in effective case management. Laboratory technicians play a pivotal role in malaria diagnosis, conducting microscopy examinations of blood samples for the detection of malaria parasites. The competency and reliability of these technicians are paramount for appropriate treatment and surveillance, as malaria diagnosis forms the cornerstone of case management. However, studies in sub-Saharan Africa highlight the challenges associated with maintaining and enhancing the skills of laboratory technicians over time. Factors such as inadequate training, inconsistent adherence to standard operating procedures, and limited access to necessary equipment contribute to the variable and often poor quality of microscopy. The primary aim of this research is to assess the impact of supportive supervision on malaria diagnosis service delivery among laboratory technicians in Sierra Leone The study employs a quasi-experimental design to assess the impact of supportive supervision on malaria diagnosis service delivery among laboratory technicians. A pre-designed checklist of four thematic area (Lab evaluation, Proficiency testing, External Quality Assurance and Microscopy observation) was used to collect data from 22 hospitals in three rounds of supervisory visits. Laboratory Evaluation: There was a significant improvement from R1 (64%) to R2 (93%), with a slight decrease in R3 (81%). Stockouts of consumables for microscope microscopy and stockouts of malaria RDT showed moderate improvement from R1 to R3. For example, stockouts of malaria RDT improved from 35% to 59%. Scores related to microscopes, spare parts, and maintenance showed consistent improvement, particularly from R1 (29%) to R3 (47%). Both internal and external quality assurance scores showed an upward trend. Internal Quality Assurance increased from 49% in R1 to 81% in R3. There was a consistent improvement in this category, with scores rising from 50% in R1 to 90% in R3. The significant improvement across the rounds in all categories, particularly in the later rounds, suggests that supportive supervision played a crucial role. implying that continuous oversight and guidance significantly enhanced both accuracy and timeliness in malaria diagnosis. KEY WORDS: Microscope, Malaria Diagnosis, Laboratory Evaluation

Optimizing Resources in the Implementation of Internal Quality Assurance Systems: An Exploratory Study in Islamic Educational Institutions

Optimizing Resources in the Implementation of Internal Quality Assurance Systems: An Exploratory Study in Islamic Educational Institutions

Internalization of Religious Moderation Through Islamic Religious Education in the Digital Era at the University of Muhammadiyah Gresik

This research focuses on the academic condition at the University of Muhammadiyah Gresik which has begun to implement the value of religious moderation. However, these values still need to be internalized more deeply in order to solve problems by referring to the principle of religious moderation. This study uses a qualitative descriptive approach with interview, observation, and documentation data collection techniques. Data analysis was carried out through the stages of collection, reduction, data presentation, and verification of conclusion drawn, with data validity tests using method triangulation techniques, member checks, and long-term utilization. The results of the study show that: 1) The concept of internalization of religious moderation at the University of Muhammadiyah Gresik starts from the seven principles of religious moderation in the Progressive Islamic Treatise which is translated into the Internal Quality Assurance System of Muhammadiyah-Aisyiyah Higher Education (SPMI PTMA). Further implementation is described in the vision, mission, and Semester Learning Plan (RPS) of each course. 2) Lecturers' efforts in implementing religious moderation involve three stages: externalization, objectification, and internalization of national values, tolerance, and pluralism in classroom learning practices. This study provides an overview of the importance of strengthening the internalization of religious moderation in the context of higher education to form the character of students who are tolerant and committed to national values.

Analysing the impact of academic policies and interventions on research productivity in Indian library and information science

PurposeThis study seeks to examine the progression of research productivity and patterns among Indian researchers in library and information science (LIS). This study seeks to better understand the transition from intrinsic to extrinsic research motivation, focussing on the influential consequences of governmental interventions. Additionally, the study aims to assess the effects of government regulations, such as University Grant Commission (UGC) guidelines and initiatives like National Institutional Ranking Framework, IQAC (An Internal Quality Assurance Cell) and UGC-CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics), on academic autonomy and the cultivation of a “publish or perish. The goal is to determine the effectiveness of these policies in driving research output within the LIS domain in India by analysing the relationship between publishing policies and research output.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected using the Scopus bibliographical database between 1976 and 2023 and yielded 2,853 records from 222 journals. To understand Indian researchers’ contributions to LIS, the dataset is categorized into three groups: Category A (all publications), Category B (excluding Indian journals) and Category C (excluding Indian journals and discontinued journals) to analyse trends over time. Statistical analysis was utilized using descriptive methods, t-tests, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation and Microsoft Excel 2019 and Biblioshiny were used for visualization.FindingsThe study found a significant increase in top-tier journal publications, collaborative research and citations post-2010, corresponding with the adoption of UGC rules stressing publishing criteria for academic promotions. Library Philosophy and Practice emerged as the most chosen publishing source, while Delhi University and the University of Kashmir demonstrated outstanding research output. The study also emphasizes geographical discrepancies, the rise of newly established departments and a significant increase of authors publishing in different publications. Correlation analysis found strong connections between publication year, journal quartile, citations and author count.Research limitations/implicationsThe study acknowledges limitations, including potential biases in the Scopus database and search strategy adopted. The constraints might affect the applicability of the results. However, the insights acquired contribute to comprehending the dynamic research landscape in Indian LIS, guiding future research paths and academic policy decisions.Originality/valueThis study offers novel insights into the evolving dynamics of research productivity among Indian LIS researchers, elucidating the impact of government initiatives and academic policies. Examining patterns in publishing, preferences among academic journals and the behaviour of authors yields useful insights for policymakers, academic institutions and researchers seeking to improve research output and excellence in the field.

Identifying Strategies for Strengthening Behavioral and Social Science Research Study Conduct.

Behavioral and social science research (BSSR) studies are less stringently regulated compared to drug and device studies. At our university, internal quality assurance activities revealed BSSR studies have more, but similar, issues compared to other studies. However, most institutional resources are tailored to support drug and device research, leaving an evidence gap regarding effective strategies for fostering rigorous BSSR study conduct. Two campus units partnered to undertake a two-phase study. First, we characterized compliance issues based on BSSR study audit data. Second, we conducted interviews with behavioral researchers and others to discuss contributors to compliance issues and potential mitigating strategies. Through thematic analysis, we identified problems at that can be addressed at individual, study team, and university systems levels. Study results outline potential strategies to reduce compliance issues.

STUDENT WELL-BEING AS AN IMPORTANT INDICATOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

Caring for the well-being of students represents one of the many challenges for maintaining the continuity of the quality assurance system within higher education institutions whose students are important stakeholders. In addition, learning and teaching focused on students, as well as their well-being, are part of the ESG standards, indispensable in the process of evaluating the quality of study programs in national and international frameworks. This motivated us to research the perception of the dimensions of student well-being. The aim of the work was to identify the perceptions of the dimension of student well-being in the student population and to investigate the role of innovative approaches and the application of new technological solutions in collecting student feedback and improving the quality assurance system. The above-mentioned goals were incorporated into the framework of an online survey conducted in 2024 on Zagreb School of Business students as part of the StudentPulse platform. The results showed differences in the perception of certain dimensions of well-being between students with regard to the undergraduate and graduate level of study. Furthermore, the use of digital technologies in the approach to students proved to be motivating for their engagement and interaction, as well as that the introduction of innovations can improve the internal quality assurance system.

Case Study: Modifying a Desander Design To Handle Low Flow Rates

The Challenge A major North Sea operator had faced issues with sand filling up the production separator on a late-life well on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The well was previously shut in due to sand production. A jetting operation was required, with solids to be separated on the water line upstream of the reinjection pumps in order to protect the pumps from erosion damage. The expected solids sizes were fines of 20–150 microns and sand in the 150–800-micron range. Flow rate was estimated at a rate of 240 m3/day. The service provider, Expro, was the main contractor and requested assistance from FourPhase to supply the desanding solution. The Solution When presented with the operational data, the project team immediately understood that the low flow rate would be one of our main challenges. The given rate was in the lower end of the capacity window for our DualFlow cyclone designs. Low inflow pressure causes lower differential pressure in the cyclones, resulting in reduced separation efficiency that we were keen to avoid. Throughout more than 10 years of operation, we have built a solids management database, recording all parameters and separation rates during more than 150,000 operational hours. Where we previously relied on extensive computer simulations with computational fluid dynamics modeling, our database now allows us to calculate the sweet spots of solids separation from existing well parameters without any further expensive and time-consuming modeling. This benefits our customers, as our data increases our ability to quickly determine if a given scenario will work or not. In the described case, our database would serve us well in understanding how we could solve the customer's challenge. Plugging the flow data into a calculation tool coupled to the solids database, we calculated which range of differential pressures we could expect in the cyclones. Another calculation tool projected the separation efficiency of solids as a function of pressure conditions. We quickly found that our regular cyclone design with 100-mm-diameter liners were too large, creating a pressure drop that was not beneficial for separation efficiency. Experience, along with calculations based on database figures drawn from previous operations with low flow rates, pointed toward a smaller cyclone liner insert. We had previously manufactured reduced-size liner inserts to meet separation requirements on operations with lower flow rates. Now, we started to consider even smaller-sized inserts. Our calculations showed that a 50-mm-diameter liner insert would provide the best results under the given circumstances (Fig. 1). Seeking internal quality assurance, the project team aligned with our engineering and operations departments, verifying the calculations. The engineering department then quickly got to work creating 3D-printed prototypes for testing. FourPhase has developed and installed a complete test facility at our headquarters in Bergen, Norway (Fig. 2). The test loop gives us an opportunity to test a variety of equipment in a controlled and safe environment.

Development of Potato Chip Cluster Supply Chain Institutional Model with The Integration of ISM (Interpretive Structural Modeling) and ANP (Analytic Network Process)

Increasing the productivity of potato chip in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through the institutional model is significantly strengthening the economy of Batu City, especially as a tourist destination city. The institutional model ensures the smooth operation of supply chain activities due to the interactions between the actors, facilitating coordination, information sharing, and integration from upstream to downstream. This model can be used to improve the performance. To improve the performance, supply chain of potato chip MSMEs cluster faces several challenges including a limited supply of raw materials and finished products, price fluctuations, non-optimal drying processes, and inconsistent quality. Therefore, the study aimed to conduct a holistic evaluation and improvement method on the interconnected constraints to enhance supply chain’s performance. The integration of Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) methods was applied to observe interactions between key elements in development of supply chain institutional potentials and to prioritize development strategies. The results showed that the key elements that influenced development of the organizations related to labor capability, diversity of raw material quality, the potential for collaboration relationships, minimizing the risk of drying during the rainy season, and participation of various actors. Based on the largest WANP weight value (0.230), the primary strategy for supply chain development in the SME cluster was the implementation of digital-based marketing. Furthermore, improving the institutional performance model of potato chip MSMEs cluster supply chain included the participation of internal and external quality assurance organizations in the product quality audit process. Ensuring product quality consistency through these audits would support digital-based marketing and help mitigate issues related to product quality and supply consistency.

The Impact of In-Service Teacher Education Program on Competency Improvement Among Islamic Religious Education Teachers Using Self-Assessment

Participation in PPG Daljab is essential for improving the performance of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers and promoting internal quality assurance within teacher training institutes (LPTKs). However, how can we effectively assess participation, particularly for individual teachers? This quantitative study investigates the impact of in-service teacher education programs on PAI teachers’ competencies using individual self-assessment. This study involved 255 PAI teachers from three LPTKs under the Ministry of Religious Affairs: UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, and UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. Teachers’ competencies were measured across four dimensions: pedagogical, personality, social, and professional competence. The findings indicate that the PPG program effectively supported the self-development of PAI teachers who have obtained professional certification. The PPG program enhanced teachers’ competencies across all dimensions, with the most significant improvement in personality competence. However, in the professional dimension, areas such as learning evaluation and the use of technology and digital learning require further strengthening post-PPG program. This article provides recommendations for stakeholders to develop continuing professional education programs following the PPG program, taking into consideration PAI teachers’ lack of competence.

Higher Education Institution Clustering Based on Key Performance Indicators using Quartile Binning Method

The Key Performance Indicators of Higher Education Institutions (KPI-HEIs) are a crucial component of the internal quality assurance system that supports the achievement of excellence status for higher education institutions. Many private higher education institutions face challenges in independently analyzing the key performance assessment indicators of Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs), which often require complex methodological approaches and specialized expertise. The research aims to cluster PHEIs based on achieving key performance indicators (KPIs). Research the method used descriptive statistical methods and quartile binning techniques to analyze and cluster data based on the achievement of KPI-HEIs. The research results, based on descriptive statistical analysis, identified outliers in eight KPI-HEIs, along with a dominance of zero values in KPI 1, KPI 2, KPI 6, KPI 7, and KPI 8, with the highest proportion reaching 90.91% for KPI 8. Based on these findings, clustering using the quartile binning method resulted in four clusters of PHEIs based on KPIs: Cluster 1 consists of 19 institutions with poor, Cluster 2 consists of 14 institutions with fair achievement, Cluster 3 consists of 16 institutions with good achievement, and Cluster 4 consists of 17 institutions with very good achievement, which can serve as examples for other institutions. This research concludes that the quartile binning method successfully categorized private higher education institutions based on their achievement of KPIs into four clusters: poor, fair, good, and very good. This outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of the method in understanding the performance distribution of these institutions. It provides valuable insights for stakeholders to develop data-driven strategies aimed at enhancing educational quality.

Existing operational standards for field deployments of rapid response mobile laboratories: a scoping review.

Rapid response mobile laboratories (RRML) play an important role in responding to emergencies such as outbreaks and humanitarian crises, working in coordination with national authorities. This scoping review aims to provide evidence to support the development of minimum operational standards for the deployment of RRMLs across the five key workstreams: operational support and logistics, biosafety and biosecurity, laboratory information management system, quality management systems and interoperability and coordination. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the grey literature focusing on RRML deployment missions. Study characteristics such as year, country, objectives, methods, and findings were extracted and summarized to identify common themes, gaps, and patterns. The results were presented in a narrative format. We ensured methodological rigor by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines throughout the review process. Out of 163 full-text studies assessed for eligibility, 46 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Six studies addressed the five RRML workstreams. Operational support and logistics are most commonly addressed during pre-deployment phases with a focus on personnel, transport and cold chain management. The application of biosafety and biosecurity protocols is most addressed during the mission execution phase, particularly in the use of personal protective equipment and the implementation of decontamination and disinfection procedures. The laboratory information management system procedures most frequently reported include sample identification and result dissemination protocols. The quality management system workstream overlaps significantly with the other four workstreams, with a strong emphasis on internal and external quality assurance measures. Coordination and interoperability aspects involve maintaining multiple collaborations, ranging from coordinating with local authorities to establishing international partnerships. Common field challenges included interrupted data transfer in areas characterized by poor connectivity and difficulties caused by extreme weather conditions. This review highlights RRML deployment procedures and addresses some critical challenges concerning their deployment. It suggests the provision of a pre-deployment logistics checklist, the use of a pre-determined standardized dataset for inputs to reduce data entry errors and the application of standardized internal and external quality assurance measures.

Treatment Quality or Hotel Quality - What Determines more Rehab Satisfaction and Subjective Treatment Success in Psychosomatic Rehabilitation?

Rehab satisfaction and treatment success are firmly anchored in the German Pension Insurance's quality assurance program as quality criteria for medical rehab. In the field of psychosomatic rehab, there are hardly any studies in which the relative importance of treatment- and hotel-related characteristics for the prediction of these criteria has been investigated. In a secondary analysis, anonymous survey data from 25 psychosomatic rehab clinics/specialist departments were analyzed. The sample comprises around 50,000 inpatient rehabilitants from 2018-2022. The surveys were conducted using a largely standardized questionnaire for the purpose of internal quality assurance. The extent to which the two outcome criteria can be predicted from 14 predictors (assessments of partial performance areas) and from a heuristic model with three blocks of variables (KV=control variables, RB=rehabilitation treatment, HL=hotel services) was examined using regression analysis. All 14 predictors correlate significantly with both criteria and can explain a total of around 67% (rehab satisfaction) resp. 40% (treatment success). In stepwise regressions, the predictors "psychotherapeutic care" and "preparing for the time after rehab" contribute most to the prediction of the criteria. Hierarchical regressions show that the incremental share of the RB block in the prediction of both criteria, i. e. the share that can be attributed with certainty to the rehab treatment variables, is many times greater than that of the hotel services. The hierarchical regression analyses support earlier findings that characteristics of the actual rehab care (e. g. good psychotherapeutic support) play a much greater role for the rehabilitants with regard to both outcome criteria than hotel -related features. There is much to suggest that these findings are also valid for inpatient psychosomatic acute care.

Factor Analysis of the Instrument of Internal Quality Assurance to Non-Formal Education Institutions for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Factor Analysis of the Instrument of Internal Quality Assurance to Non-Formal Education Institutions for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

WEB BASED INTERNAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM A DESIGN AND PROTOTYPING

Improving the quality of education in higher education institutions is crucial to support the development of human resources and the progress of the nation. Utpadaka Swastika University, as one of the higher education institutions in Indonesia, is committed to producing high-quality and competitive graduates. To ensure this quality, an effective and efficient internal quality assurance system (SPMI) is necessary. This research aims to design and build an internal quality assurance system based on the web using PHP and MySQL at Utpadaka Swastika University with the prototyping method. Software testing is conducted through Black Box Testing. This internal quality assurance system aims to ensure the quality of higher education provided by universities through the implementation of the Tridharma of Higher Education, in order to realize the vision and meet the needs of stakeholders. The achievement of quality assurance goals through the internal quality assurance system will be accredited through external quality assurance systems. This system can assist in presenting document information accessible to program heads, leaders, auditors, administrators, and quality assurance body (LPM) leaders. It facilitates program heads in the process of collecting and submitting documents for evaluation and audit instruments, allowing the LPM to directly identify issues and quality standards in the internal quality assurance process. This system is expected to be used as a reference for further development of an Internal Quality Assurance System so that the system can have better features.

Internal Education Quality Assurance Systems in the Documents of Russian Universities: Quality Assurance or its Appearance?

The quality of education, despite the variety of approaches to its understanding, is usually ensured in two contours: external and internal. The external contour is most familiar to the Russian education system, where a control model of quality assurance is implemented in the form of state accreditation. Internal contour may be voluntarily implemented through internal education quality assessment systems. The purpose of this study was to determine how common such systems are among Russian universities, what they look like and whether they represent working systems of quality assurance. For this purpose, the websites of 697 universities were examined for the presence of references to internal quality assurance systems, and a content analysis of publicly available local acts on internal quality assurance of 365 universities was carried out. As a result, it was found that the majority of civil universities in the country have acts, describing such systems (66%), but they are isomorphic, and the procedures contained in them are incomplete. This allows us to conclude that acts on internal quality assurance systems are adopted by universities not to achieve quality, but to show an external controller that such system is present, as required in the control model for ensuring the quality of education.

Implementasi Penjaminan Mutu Internal Dalam Pengembangan Kurikulum Berbasis OBE

Quality assurance is needed to improve quality in performing the education. The curriculum is the soul in implementing the education. The OBE-based curriculum emphasizes the quality of outcomes produced by the education. Therefore, an in-depth study is needed to determine the implementation of internal quality assurance in OBE-based curriculum development. The aim of this research was to describe the implementation of internal quality assurance in OBE-based curriculum development. To achieve this goal, this research used a qualitative descriptive approach with a content analysis method. The documents which were analyzed were Permendikbudristek 53 in 2024 and the Guide to Preparing the Higher Education Curriculum (KPT) in 2024. The data analysis technique used was an interactive analysis model. The result showed that the implementation of internal quality assurance in OBE curriculum development applied in the PPEPP cycle, namely Curriculum Determination (P), Curriculum Implementation (P), Curriculum Evaluation (E), Curriculum Control (P), and Curriculum Improvement (P).

Which failures do patient-specific quality assurance systems need to catch?

The Joint AAPM-ESTRO TG-360 is developing a quantitative framework to evaluate treatment verification systems used for patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA). A subgroup was commissioned to determine which potential failure modes had the greatest risk to treatment quality and safety, and therefore should be evaluated as part of the PSQA verification. To create an extensive database of potential radiotherapy failure modes that should be detected by PSQA and to determine their relative importance for maximizing treatment quality. The subgroup consisted of eight physicists from seven countries, including representatives from three international quality assurance groups. We collected error reports from RO-ILS, SAFRON, AAPM TG publications, and other literature, including international audits. We focused on the subset of failure modes that impact whether the planned dose matches the dose received by the patient. We performed a failure-mode-and-effects analysis (FMEA), estimating the severity (S), occurrence (O), and detectability (D) of each failure mode. Detectability was scored assuming that PSQA was not done but other routine clinical QA was performed, which allowed us to see the importance of PSQA for detecting each specific failure mode. We analyzed the risk priority number (RPN=O*S*D), O*S, and severity rankings to determine the priority of each failure mode. We collected 394 error reports, which we categorized into 33 failure modes that underwent FMEA. Five failure modes were in the top ranks for both RPN and O*S analysis: four involving treatment planning system (TPS) commissioning and one regarding patient model errors. The highest-ranking RPN failure modes were: TPS algorithm limitations, TPS commissioning errors [multileaf collimator (MLC) modeling, output factor, percent-depth-dose/tissue-maximum-ratio (PDD/TMR), off-axis factor], and patient weight variation. The highest O*S failure modes were similar, with the addition of external patient position variation and incorrect linear accelerator isocenter and cGy/monitor units calibration. RPN and O*S analyses prioritized failure modes that impacted multiple patients with high occurrence and detectability scores, while severity analysis gave higher priority to single-patient modes with high severity scores. The highest-ranking severity modes were MLC sequence deletion, collision, and TPS isocenter incorrect. We have developed a list of failure modes critical to be detected during PSQA and ranked them in order of importance. The top failure modes emphasize the importance of utilizing a variety of treatment verification systems for PSQA, from secondary dose calculation through in-vivo dosimetry, in order to detect all possible errors. For failure modes in the top quartile, PSQA is critical. Without adequate PSQA, these errors may go undetected unless caught by an external audit. This analysis can be useful for optimizing PSQA workflows and for designing evaluations of treatment verification systems, and will be used by the Joint AAPM-ESTRO TG-360 to determine an appropriate validation strategy.

MODELING THE UNIVERSITY'S INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM: THE CASE OF KAZAKHSTAN

Research offers a conceptual model to provide the university's internal quality assurance system at national level.The purpose of paper is to develop a new model of the university’s internal quality assurance system based on the values of a culture of quality among the entire higher education community: academic staff, students, managerial staff, employers, government agencies and others.Research methodology includes a modelling approach with analytical review of legal and regulatory acts and presentation of the structural architecture of the higher education quality assurance system. This part includes the content and evaluation unit of the internal quality assurance system and organizational and analytical block of the internal quality assurance system model, and organizational and analytical block of the internal quality assurance system model. Quality assurance includes measures to manage high-quality content, high-quality contingent, high-quality personnel, and high-quality infrastructure. The proposed model suggests that HEIs can enhance the internal quality assurance system and maintain quality culture.

Components in Lesson Planning for Secondary School Teachers in Tanzania: Implications for Supervision and Teachers’ Training

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to identify specific components of a lesson plan that teachers struggle to design. Methodology. The study used a qualitative research approach and an exploratory case study design. The criterion-purposeful sampling technique was employed to select eighteen (18) participants from six public secondary schools in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. The study participants comprised six heads of secondary schools, six internal school quality assurance officers, and six teachers. Through semi-structured interviews and document reviews, data on specific components of the lesson plan that teachers find challenging to design was collected. The reviewed documents included school performance evaluation reports (SPERs) and lesson plans. The researchers employed thematic analysis methods. The study also followed all necessary principles of research ethics, including obtaining participants’ consent and employing pseudonyms. Results. The study found that teachers were struggling in formulating a coherent statement of specific lesson objectives, teaching and learning materials, and teaching and learning activities. The study also demonstrated that teachers faced difficulties in selecting effective teaching and learning approach, establishing assessment criteria, and conducting proper lesson evaluation. Conclusion. We conclude that inadequate design of one component of the lesson plan negatively affects the overall quality of the lesson plan, the delivery of lessons in the classroom, and the quality of education. Therefore, instructional supervisors and teacher trainers must take immediate action to assist teachers in developing lesson planning skills. This endeavour will not only result in improved lesson planning and delivery by teachers, but it will also contribute to an overall improvement in student learning and educational quality.

Internal quality assurance strategies for enhancing students’ soft skills in Tanzania’s higher education institutions

This paper explored the strategies used by the Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) units of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to enhance soft skills among university students in Tanzania. The qualitative research approach was adopted using a multi-case study design involving a sample of thirty-nine (39) participants obtained through purposive and convenient sampling procedures. The study used interviews, focus group discussion and documentary review methods to collect data for the study. The paper deployed thematic and content analysis procedures in the analysis of data. The findings revealed four quality assurance strategies to enhance university students’ soft skills, including developing and reviewing curricula, prolonged field attachment, student assessment and developing academic personnel. The study concludes that there is more to be done to ensure that HEIs students are competent in soft skills for their future life realities. The study recommends assigning soft skills greater emphasis in HEIs curricula due to their importance in future life of the students. More studies on the studied topic using larger samples and different contexts are also recommended.