The need for implementing total quality management in education

There is a consensus that the quality of the US education system is deteriorating. This deterioration is evidenced by declining test scores, graduates with inadequate basic skills, increasing dropout rates, and a widening gap between industry needs and student capabilities (Fisher, 1993; Schargel, 1993). Society, on the other hand, has responded to this decline by demanding higher test scores and greater financial accountability, and by implementing their own educational programmes (Shalala, 1993). But if change is needed, how can our educational institutions go about affecting this change? Many institutions are looking to industry for ideas. Like our educational institutions, American industry has experienced a decline in its long-held competitive advantage. To regain and strengthen their advantage, many US industries are turning to total quality management (TQM) for the answers. But is TQM the answer to our industrial and educational problems, or is it just the latest fad? And if TQM is a valuable tool for US industry, can it be applied to our educational institutions? This paper will look at the applicability of TQM in education and some of the concerns addressed in the literature. We will also explore the techniques used by some of the leading institutions and propose a process for implementing TQM at an institution. The suggested five-step model is applicable to any university that plans to implement TQM.