Committed to quality
ST JOSEPH’S Teachers’ College has adapted ISO2009:2008 approach to quality in order to make improvements to the services the college provides. This approach was adopted primarily because of a desire to satisfy quality standards, and to fulfil the requirements of external stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, University Council of Jamaica, Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission, The University of the West Indies the Joint Board of Teacher Education and Teachers, and the Teachers Colleges of Jamaica.
The quality assurance framework for the college principally targets the primary processes of delivering the programmes (bachelor’s degree in early childhood and primary education; associate’s degree in early childhood). However, these programmes do not stand alone; their quality is in part determined by related factors (strategic policy, staffing policy, the way teaching is organised, and the deployment of resources). The quality assurance framework also targets the college as a whole in a systematic, robust and coherent manner in which the college is making satisfactory progress in implementing quality. This framework that allows for continuous monitoring, ensuring and improving the quality of its programmes/services.
REMAINING TRUE TO VISION
The quality assurance framework for the college describes what it does, then demonstrates in reality that it does what it says. In essence, we remain true to the vision, mission and core values of the institution, as established by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany; that is “to steadfastly promote excellence as a way of life by fostering excellence in teaching, learning, scholarship and relationship. We strive to empower and affirm our staff and students by providing an environment that encourages and allows for personal and professional development. We pledge to build partnerships that value humility, joy, and integrity, which are characteristics of our founder, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany”. Additionally, we have established the quality framework at the college to ensure that the standards are clearly defined and that mechanisms are implemented and evaluated to safeguard institutional effectiveness, with a view to continuously improving our services and product.
We are kept on task at all times because our quality assurance framework asks and responds to the following questions:
1. Are we doing the right things?
2. Are we doing these things in the right ways?
3. How do we know this (measurement and accountability)?
4. Do others feel the same (external validation)?
5. What do we do with this knowledge (consolidation or improvement)? Our findings to date have led us to periodic reviews of the College’s self study, our fiveyear strategic plan and policies, and our procedures manual.