CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT AS PER THE ISO 9001:2015 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND POST-EXAMINATION SERVICES DELIVERY IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Examination is among the crucial processes of any university quality management system and as such, quality should be maintained at all levels. Several inefficiencies in post examination services delivery have occurred in Kenyan public universities many of which were implementing ISO 9001: 2015 QMSs. Doubt arose on the extent to which adoption of ISO 9001 QMSs had translated to quality service delivery in these institutions. The study was guided by two objectives; to determine the extent to which Kenyan public universities pursue continual improvement as per ISO 9001:2015 QMS and to establish the relationship between continual improvement and post examination services delivery in public universities in Kenya. A mixed methods research design was employed. The study targeted various examination process stakeholders in all the 26 ISO 9001:2015 certified public universities in Kenya. Purposive sampling was used to sample 6 directors of quality assurance, 6 directors of QMS and PC and 6 deputy registrars (examinations) while 297 examination coordinators and 384 fourth year students were sampled using stratified sampling technique. Primary data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules. The study established that generally, most public universities in Kenya to a large extent aspired for continual improvement in their core processes, functions and operations Regression analysis results revealed that continual improvement as per the ISO 9001: 2015 QMS requirements had a positive significant effect on post-examination services delivery in public universities in Kenya (β = 0.727, p = .000). The study concluded that it was crucial for these universities to optimize continual improvement in their key processes, operations and functions. Continuous analysis of data to assist in the identification of areas of service nonconformity for informed corrective measures to achieve continual improvement in the long run was recommended