NOTION OF QUALITY IN EDUCATION

In this era of globalisation, education has a crucial role to play in preparing the learners not only to face the futur e with confidence but to build it with purpose and responsibility. The importance of the role of education as an agent of change promoting tolerance and understanding has never been more obvious than today. This can be brought about only through quality education. Quality in education is difficult to define in tangible terms. The present study was aimed at identifying the indicators of good quality education. Since the teachers play a vital role in imparting education to the learners, their notion of quality will ultimately determine the character of an institution. The study was thus undertaken to understand the teachers’ notion of quality and identifying their role in ensuring the quality of instruction imparted to the students. The study was conducted in 10 public schools of Delhi. After identifying the indicators of quality through review of related literature and discussion with eminent educationists, an opinionnaire and a semi structured interview schedule was used for data collection to understand the notion of quality through the perspectives of teachers. The study revealed that the teachers perceived quality institution as one which prepares students for life. The students must be helped to prepare themselves not only for their personal lives but be equally prepared to participate in economic and political life of their societies. Values such as discipline, honesty and respect for elders must be understood as basic fundamentals for quality education. Increased quality awareness among teachers and helping teachers to improve their teaching methodology and skills may lead to quality in education. Quality is not infrastructure dependent but largely depends on the teachers’ knowledge proficiency and teaching skills and sound management of the institution.