Quality Assurance in Emerging Primary Private Teacher Training Colleges in Bungoma County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to assess the quality assurance mechanisms available in emerging private primary teacher training colleges. The research was carried out in eight private teacher training colleges in Bungoma County in Kenya. The sample comprised of eight college principals, 43 tutors and 416 second year teacher trainees. Data was collected through questionnaires, interview and document analysis. The research findings were presented the results in form of frequency tables, graphs and pie-charts. The research established that the rapid emergence of private primary teacher training colleges had a negative impact on quality of teacher preparation as there was ineffective quality assurance and standards mechanisms in place. This continues to have negative effect on the quality of graduates produced. It was concluded that proliferations of teacher preparation in such conditions are a manifestation of the ineffectiveness or near to total collapse of the system of monitoring and regulation of teacher training institutions. The study therefore recommended that, monitoring and evaluation audits should be conducted regularly to ensure that these colleges conform to the set standards all the time. There is further need to constantly review and improve the quality of teacher training to be in tandem with the global trends. This will ultimately enhance adequate preparation of teachers and minimize the quality inconsistencies in the emerging private primary teacher training colleges.