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Quality assurance has created a world-wide interest. The growing number of members
in the International Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education
(INQAAHE) and the Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN), manifests, at the least, this
phenomenon.
This paper has examined two approaches in defining quality. The traditional educational
systems define quality in terms of inputs and processes, while the more progressive
systems define it in terms of outputs. It is suggested that quality assurance agencies
make this shift to outputs.
The role of QA is to assure that the definition in the QF are followed by education
providers, and that the quality of the service are satisfactory and acceptable.
Traditional education normally defines quality in terms of inputs (e.g., physical facilities,
laboratories, number of computer units, library, etc.) and processes (e.g., teaching
methods, admission of students, contact hours, testing, etc.). Progressive educational
systems, on the other hand, define quality in terms of outputs.
This paper examines these two prevailing practices in quality assurance (or
accreditation): firstly, focusing the assessment on inputs and processes, and secondly,
on outputs. More specifically, it attempts to:
The reader is informed that while the schema of this study may be generally applicable,
its reference is limited to accreditation (used synonymously here with quality assurance),
in Philippine setting, which is by program.
As pointed out earlier, quality may be defined in terms of inputs and processes. In this
system, students are advanced upon completion of the requirements of the curriculum,
and usually involving a defined period of time of schooling. The graduates are supposed
to qualify to engage in learning experiences at a higher level of education, e.g., from
basic to tertiary. In many countries, they speak of high graduation rates but do not refer
to graduates with inadequate qualifications.
The Philippines takes pride in its high graduation rates arising from the massification of
education, albeit, admit producing graduates with inadequate qualifications. A series of
studies on the Philippine educational system conducted in the last 50 years have pointed
to the poor quality of education as compared to those of other countries.
This lugubrious state of education has been observed by various study groups and
reform bodies, and generally confirmed by practically all sectors of society especially the
users of the products of the educational system. It is quite logical then that much
premium is given to accreditation as a means of measuring the level of quality of
education, and in promoting reforms among educational providers.
The earlier section pointed out that traditional education normally defines quality in terms
inputs and processes. Progressive educational systems, on the other hand, define
quality in terms of outputs, i.e., what the students have learned, such as, skills,
knowledge and desired attributes that they can use to qualify them to do certain tasks on
their own; Accreditation can shift to outputs as the unit of measurement in determining
quality.
A qualifications framework can provide a structure within which the quality of educational
institution can be developed. It is an innovation in the Philippines. It is relatively new
even in the Asia-Pacific region.
This paper argues for a shift from the traditional input-and-process-oriented to output-
oriented definition of quality. This proposed shift is firmly aided by the development and
adoption of a qualifications framework which define educational outputs in terms of
desired competencies.
What is the relationship between quality assurance and qualifications framework? The
QF defines the objectives of education at different levels in the architecture of
qualifications. These objectives are used to guide the curricular and learning
experiences made available to students by education providers.