Total Quality Management Strategies of the Schools under the Rural Children and Youth Development Project Royally Initiated by Her Royal Highness Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in Mae Hong Son Province

Abstract

The objectives of this article were to investigate the states, problems, and success factors of quality management of the schools participating in the project; (2) to develop the quality management strategies for participating schools; and (3) to assess the quality management strategies for the schools. A mixed-method approach was applied. The research informants included stakeholders involved in educational management, education officers, school committee chairmen, and scholars. The research instruments consisted of questionnaires, semi-structured interview forms, workshop records, and strategy assessment forms. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis.
The research results are summarized as follows. 1. Regarding the first research objective, the findings revealed that the quality management of the schools in the project for all five components, ranged from the highest to lowest frequency, were as follows: quality awareness, 2) continuous system improvement, 3) service recipient focus, 4) teamwork and 5) education and training, respectively. As for the problems of quality management of the schools, ranked according to the mean scores from highest to lowest were as follows: education and training, 2) service recipient focus, 3) quality awareness, 4) teamwork and 5) continuous system improvement, respectively. The success factors of the quality management of the schools included personnel, budget, equipment, and management.
Regarding the second research objective, the data analysis revealed that the total quality management strategies of the schools in the project consisted of one vision, three missions, three goals, three strategic issues, six strategies, six indicators, six measures, and six projects.
Regarding the third objective, the data analysis revealed that the total quality management strategies of the schools in the project were consistent, appropriate, feasible, and profitable at the highest level.
The research results would be beneficial to the participating schools and other schools could adapt the strategies to formulate policies and planning for educational quality development in an attempt to raise their educational quality to the excellent level.